Harry Potter and the Third Party
by Highice007
Summary: Well here goes everything. My first Harry Potter...Cho Chang Fic. Hope it's not too bad.It's an alternate to Half Blood Prince, as if that book never happened. It starts off just befour the new school year, and a new threat will test the loyalty's of Cho
1. Chapter 1

**Rated: M**

**Harry Potter & The Third Party**

**Chapter 1: Last night On Privet Drive**

Harry looked up at the ceiling blurry-eyed from tears he had been crying for the past hour. He was glad to be alone. Ever since he had returned to Number Four Privet Drive, he had given the Dursleys fair warning to stay out of his way that summer, or he would have Mad-Eye Moody come and lay a dozen curses on them. He didn't need the constant ridicule that he had suffered from them ever since he could remember. Now, he was in mourning for his godfather, Sirius Black, who had been killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in the battle at the Ministry of Magic, at the end of the last school year.

Harry had been full of rage lately. It wasn't fair that he had had to endure all that had happened to him in his life. It wasn't fair he'd had to suffer all the pain. He reflected on all the harsh things that had happened to him since his first year. The Dark Lord Voldemort killed his parents when Harry was just a baby. Then, having to live with a family who hated him until he was eleven, and then having to return to this house every summer. It wasn't fair that he constantly had to return here. Harry was tired of constantly being the subject of abuse of his cousin Dudley for all these years.

And now his godfather, Sirius Black, was dead. Once his name had been cleared of killing Peter Pettigrew, the plan had been to have Harry come and live with him. He would have escaped the Dursleys forever. But now Sirius was dead, and not even a ghost Harry could talk to. And it was all Harry's fault. At one time, Sirius had been going to kill Pettigrew, who had faked his own death after betraying Harry's parents and framing Sirius. But Harry had asked him to spare Pettigrew's life. He had been merciful, and it had cost Sirius, and Cedric Diggory, their lives. And these weak moments had also caused the return of Lord Voldemort.

Peter Pettigrew had revived the Dark Lord, and Voldemort was gathering an army to take over the wizarding world. Now Voldemort, who was responsible for the deaths of so many people that Harry cared about, was going to try and kill him. Dumbledore had said as much. He had said that in the prophecy, it was either Voldemort or Harry that was to die, to finish the war one way or the other. Harry had been having a constant nightmare every night and was full of hate and rage. He knew that sometimes the Dark Lord could read his thoughts. He concentrated on Voldemort very hard and thought, _"Well it isn't going to be me who's going to die! Do you hear me, you bastard! I'm going to kill you! I'll make you suffer!"_

Suddenly Harry felt a sharp pain in his head, a searing wave of anger and hate emanating from his scar.

"Ahhhhhhh!" he screamed. His knees buckled, and he fell to the floor. Lord Voldemort had heard him, all right. The door flew open and Uncle Vernon looked into the room, his face pale and his eyes wide.

"Wh……what is it! What's going on!" he asked. This was not his concern finally emerging; this was his fear of Harry.

"Nnn… nothing… go away," said Harry.

"But, but… you…"

"_I said get out!"_Harry roared as the agonising pain in his scar caused him to clutch the carpet.

"Sor… sorry," replied Uncle Vernon in a horrified voice, and closed the door quickly. The Dursleys had noticed that Harry's attitude was such that he seemed to be ready to explode at any time, and had tried at all costs to stay out of his way. Fortunately for them, he spent most of his time in his bedroom. The pain in his head was subsiding and his breathing was returning to normal.

"_That's right, you bastard, you go and think about how I'm going to kill you off. Think of how I stopped you every time. You couldn't even stop me when I was a baby. And soon… soon I'm going to be the one who comes for you. Soon I'll have my revenge!"_ Harry felt a ripple of fear through his scar, but it didn't come from himself. Harry knew that somewhere, Voldemort was not feeling too confident.

A smirk crossed Harry's face. Yes, this sense of other people's fear was quite a good feeling indeed.

Harry's position at Number Four Privet Drive had changed. He was no longer the object of abuse now, but someone to be feared. He didn't mind the change at all. In fact, he revelled in it. It was nice to be the one in charge for a change—Harry liked the fear that his power brought. He could make the Dursleys dance if he wanted them to. He didn't even have to use magic; just the threat of it was enough to make their teeth rattle. Harry got up, went to his aunt and uncle's room, and banged on the door.

"What! What is it?" came the frightened voices from the bedroom.

Harry opened the door and poked his head in. "I just wanted to remind you to make Dudley have my eggs and toast ready by seven. And don't forget to have the living room cleared," Harry stated in a confident tone.

Uncle Vernon's face started to turn beet red. "Now see here, young man! If you think that-"

"_Be careful!"_shouted Harry, cutting him off mid sentence. His voice grew sinister. "I'd hate to tell my friends you mistreated me. Mad-Eye Moody can get very… unpredictable when he's upset." He smirked.

Uncle Vernon's face went pale again. "No! I mean… of course Dudley will have everything ready for you at seven on the dot."

Harry smiled mischievously "Good… well that's that then, good night."

"Good night" they said in quivering unison.

As Harry walked back to his room, he thought, _"Look at them, cowering! Serves 'em right, the stupid dolts!" _

Of course, Harry knew the members of the Order of the Phoenix wouldn't approve of the way he now treated the Dursleys. In fact, if they ever found out, he would most likely get into serious trouble. But the Dursleys didn't know that, and what they didn't know couldn't hurt them. The Order members had threatened the Dursleys. They had to treat Harry well over the summer, or else the Order would come and have a not-too-friendly chat with them.

Still, they hadn't intended to have Harry taking overt advantage of the family. But Harry didn't care. He had just suffered a tremendous loss, and was feeling a tremendous thirst to lash out at whoever was near. It felt appropriate that it should be his former tormentors, the Dursleys.

Harry looked at the alarm clock on his nightstand; it read ten forty PM. He lay down on his bed and reflected on the past few weeks. Tomorrow would be a day of great sadness. Tomorrow Harry would put to rest the body of Sirius Black, his godfather, and the only real parent he had ever known. Tomorrow, at long last, Sirius would have a proper funeral, a proper send off deserving of a hero. Harry would have a long day, and it would be time for his hatred to turn to grief. _…Of a hero _Harry thought as he drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Remus Lupin Returns**

_Beep! Beep! Beep_! The blaring of the alarm woke Harry with a start. He turned his head to see the time: six am. Stretching his arms above his head, he let out a loud yawn. Then, remembering what the day's events would bring, he became sombre.

He jumped into the shower to wake himself up. Under the hot water, he reflected on why Dumbledore had said it had taken so long to find the body of his godfather, Sirius Black. Dumbledore had said the curtains that Sirius had fallen behind were some kind of portal that the living could not pass through, and special means had had to be taken to bring the body back through. It had taken a while, but at long last, by saying the proper incantations and using a bewitched rope, they were able to bring the body back across the portal. Dumbledore had told Harry that he could not explain the meaning of the curtains, although Harry sometimes wondered if he just _wouldn't_ explain it. Dumbledore seemed to like keeping Harry in the dark. Harry scowled.

After his shower, Harry made his way into the kitchen, and saw Dudley waiting with his plate of eggs, toast, and jam. As he sat down, he looked over at the fearful expression of anticipation on Dudley's face. Often, Harry would find something wrong with the plate and have Dudley remake the entire meal. But not today. Today, he was not in the mood to torment anyone, and even managed a vague, "Thanks."

Dudley's face flushed with relief, and he sat down to eat his own meal. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had not yet entered the kitchen and were not likely to until well after eight, especially with the prospect of an Order member coming through the Floo Network to fetch Harry for the funeral of his godfather.

At around seven thirty, Harry sat down to read the Muggle news in a chair on the side of the cleared out living room. He looked over at Dudley in the kitchen. Dudley was fidgeting in his seat nervously. Harry decided to cut him some slack.

"You can go upstairs if you want, Dudley. My friends will be here soon," he said casually.

"Thanks, Harry!" exclaimed Dudley, who was only happy to take the stairs three at a time to escape being present for any arrival of a wizard coming through the fireplace.

Harry went back to the paper, and wondered whom the Order would be sending to pick him up. _Most likely Mr. Weasley_ he thought.

At three minutes to eight, a rush of green flames lit up the Dursleys' fireplace. A well-dressed but sombre-looking man with light brown hair stepped through the fireplace, and Harry recognized him at once.

"Lupin!" Harry ran to hug his former Defence against Dark Arts teacher.

"Hello, Harry, how have you been holding up?" he asked weakly.

"Oh, as well as can be expected, I suppose," Harry replied.

Patting Harry on the back, Lupin put his hands on Harry's shoulders and looked down into Harry's eyes. "Listen, Harry." Lupin had the beginnings of tears in his eyes, but he wiped them away before they had time to develop. "I… I just wanted to say again that Sirius… he was my best friend. My very best friend and I just wanted you to know that you're not alone in how you're feeling today. If you need to talk to me about anything, I'm here for you." A single tear escaped his right eye.

Harry looked at Lupin's sombre face. He knew that Lupin was truly feeling as grieved as he was. Lupin was the one person that Harry could write to from time to time about Sirius' death. He'd been the only one close enough to Sirius to know how Harry felt.

"Thanks," said Harry. "It really means a lot to me that you're here for me."

Lupin forced a small smile, stood up, and looked around the room. "Where are your relatives? Didn't they want to see you off?" Lupin asked, slightly puzzled.

"Ha! No, they wanted to avoid meeting an Order member at all cost,'" Harry replied, slightly amused at the idea of the Dursleys giving him a warm send off.

"Why?" asked Lupin, a little suspicious. "They haven't been mistreating you, have they?"

Harry smiled to himself. _Oh, if you only knew_, he thought to himself. "No, they've been okay. They just don't like wizards," he replied.

"I see," Lupin replied, mildly offended. "Well, are you ready, Harry?" he continued.

"Okay, sure, just one question. Where did you get the nice robes?" Harry asked with wonder.

Remus Lupin looked himself over, embarrassed. "Oh… I… Sirius had some money that he left me, as well as you, in his will. I just wanted to look good on the day we honour him. You'll find out about your inheritance later, too."

"Oh," said Harry, not really caring about the money, but a bit curious to know why he hadn't been told of the reading. "I guess I'm ready."

"Good, I'll lead the way." Lupin handed Harry a handful of Floo Powder from his pocket. He then took out some more and threw it into the fireplace, which lit up with emerald flames.

"Now, repeat after me, Harry, clearly: Benedictions Georgious, Funeral Home!" Lupin shouted as he stepped into the emerald fire, and was swept away.

Harry threw his own Floo Powder in and was transported out of the Dursleys' living room and into another fireplace that opened into a large study, where Lupin, Tonks, and Mundungus were waiting for him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Funeral of Sirius Black **

Harry looked around the room at the shelves of books, the mini bar, and the large globe that sat by the door. The room was brightly lit by torches with an ancient look, but had fires that glowed like the florescent lights of any modern office building.

In the center of the room were Remus, Tonks, and Mundungus.

"Wotcher, Harry," said Tonks, who was fitted in a proper dress, with her now brown hair in a ponytail. It was the first time Harry had seen her look so normal, although he didn't mind the controversial in the Wizarding World look she usually displayed.

"Lo, 'arry," stated Mundungus, who was wearing a large trench coat that didn't appear to be filled with loot. At least not yet.

"Hello, all," Harry replied gloomily.

"Well, the room is this way." Lupin gestured with an open hand, and Harry followed Tonks and Mundungus into a hall that led to a large, pew filled room. In the room, Harry saw Hermione and the Weasley family, minus Percy and the twins, sitting in the pew at the front on the right. Apart from them, the room seemed empty except for an old, grey bearded wizard in black robes, who was standing in front of the casket. As Harry approached the front row, he was spotted by Mrs. Weasley, who hurried over to him and threw her arms around him.

"Oh, you poor dear," she sobbed. "Harry, I'm so sorry, you poor thing! How are you holding up?" she said, as tears continued to trickle from her eyes.

"I… I'm managing," Harry replied blankly.

Mr. Weasley came up to him next. "Harry, I just wanted to know if you would like to come to the Burrow afterwards. We would love to have you for the rest of the summer," he said, with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah," said Harry, "I'd like that a lot. But all my things are at Privet Drive."

"Don't worry, dear, we can send for them," Mrs. Weasley replied in a soft voice.

"All right, thanks," Harry replied as he moved past Charlie and Bill. They each greeted him quietly.

He then came to Ginny. "Hello Harry, how have you been?" she asked, in a genuinely concerned tone of voice.

"Oh, well, not too bad," he replied.

"Well, we're glad to see you again," she whispered, and gave him a quick hug before she sat down.

Harry looked next to see Ron and Hermione motioning to him to sit beside them.

"Hey, Harry…" Ron seemed like he wasn't sure of how to address Harry on this occasion. Hermione was drying her eyes, and she reached across Ron to give Harry a hug.

"Harry, I… I…" she sobbed, "I'm here for you if you want to talk." She could barely choke out the words.

"Thanks." Harry smiled. He looked around the room, but there were no other people coming. "Where are Fred and George?" Harry asked, a bit puzzled.

Ron looked embarrassed. "Well, Harry, they… they couldn't get away from the shop. They're piled with loads of work. I mean, it did just open recently. But they told me to tell you how sorry they were that they couldn't make it. And they sent that wreath!" Ron pointed to a beautiful large green and red wreath by the casket that read: Sirius, we will miss you. "And they paid for the plot and tombstone," Ron said, looking sideways at Harry to see his reaction.

"Oh well, that was nice of them," replied Harry. Harry understood, as their shop was quite popular. And besides, they really hadn't known Sirius that well.

He took another look around and noticed others missing now. "Where are Dumbledore, and McGonagall, and the other members of the Order?" Harry asked blankly.

"I dunno," Ron replied honestly.

Harry took another look around and saw Tonks and Mundungus by the door, looking serious manner. Mundungus had his hand in his trench coat, and Tonks had hers in a pocket on the side of her dress. He guessed they were on guard duty.

Lupin was sitting on the left front pew looking very distraught. Harry called to him in a loud whisper. "Professor Lupin! Professor Lupin!"

Lupin looked over at him, and rose to talk to him. "What is it, Harry?" he asked in a barely audible voice.

"Where are Dumbledore, and the others?" Harry asked.

Lupin blinked in surprise. "Well, they're on assignment for the Order," he said calmly.

"Okay, but where is Dumbledore?" Harry asked again.

Lupin looked confused at Harry's lack of comprehension. "I just told you, on an important assignment for the Order."

Harry's expression changed to one of anger instantly. "What!" he shouted. "What's so important that he can't be here to say goodbye to Sirius?" Harry's cheeks were now turning a bright shade of red, and his eyes were smarting suspiciously.

"Harry, there's important work to be done. We're at war and…" Lupin began, but Harry cut him off.

"To hell with the war! Dumbledore should be here to see Sirius off. He owed it to Sirius to be here!" Harry's voice was shaking with rage now, and everyone was looking at him.

Lupin remained quiet and calm, but there was a sense of panic in his voice. "Harry, don't you think he wanted to be here? There are things we can't tell you that…"

Again Harry cut Lupin off. "Yes, I know! I know how Dumbledore likes to keep me in the dark about things that concern me. About important things, everything I should know about. Well I've had enough of his excuses! There is nothing more important than his presence here right now is. He's… he's ungrateful to those who give service to him, that's what he is!" Harry was not even trying to keep his voice down or control his rage anymore. Harry had had just about enough of Dumbledore keeping him in the dark about Voldemort and the Order.

"Please Harry, not now! This isn't the time. He really is on an important mission for the war that's coming."

Harry relented as he saw the tears in Lupin's pleading eyes. Lupin had come here to say goodbye to his best friend and Harry had come to say goodbye to his godfather.

"Fine, another time," he said, not wanting to upset Lupin any further.

"Ahem!" Harry turned his head to see the old wizard in black clear his throat. He spoke with a clear Welsh accent. "We are here today to pay tribute to Sirius Black, to his memory and to his dedication to doing the right things in life. Sirius was a brave man, who gave the ultimate and most noble sacrifice to stop You-Know-Who and his minions and to protect the good people of the wizarding world…"

Harry listened to the speech by the old wizard, but in the end he wasn't impressed. It seemed like he didn't know Sirius and it was a eulogy that could have been written for anyone. Harry didn't blame the man. He'd never seen him before, and guessed he was just the person on duty. No. Harry had someone else in mind that he believed shouldered the lion's share of the blame for the weak showing at the funeral. Dumbledore! Dumbledore, who should be here in this man's place giving this speech!

_What an insult!_ thought Harry. Surely someone else could have gone on the mission in Dumbledore's place. Harry would have words with him another time.

"And now I would ask members of the family, and friends, to come up and say a few words about this good man, Sirius Black," said the old wizard.

Lupin was the first to move up to the podium. "Sirius Black was my best… best friend. He was the best friend anyone could have. He was brave and noble and generous…" Lupin recounted several stories from their school days together and Harry hoped that the story of jinxing Snape would come up, but it didn't. Lupin ended with, "I will miss you, my good friend."

Then each of the Weasleys and Hermione took their turn to speak. They all tried to say nice things about Sirius and say as much as possible, but it seemed repetitive, and they just didn't know him well enough. Tonks took her turn, but mostly apologized for not knowing her third cousin better. Even Mundungus tried to say something nice, but it ended in disaster. "Err… nice man… brave… um, had a lot of silver around the house. Uh? Kind-hearted. Said I could have that expensive tea set. Mmmm… he was a wealthy man," Mundungus stammered.

Lupin came up to politely guide him to his seat. "That's… that's enough. Thank you, Mundungus."

The old wizard looked to Harry now. "And now will his godson, Mr. Harry Potter, like to say a few words?"

Harry moved to the podium and looked at the near empty room. It wasn't fair! Sirius was a great hero. The pews should have been filled, and yet there were only twelve people in attendance including Harry himself.

Harry began, "My godfather Sirius Black was a great hero! He was a man of great courage. He died fighting evil. The pews should be filled here today. Sirius deserves a hero's funeral. He was the best godfather anyone could have had. He was murdered by Voldemort's servants and… **and he will be avenged." **Harry's rage surfaced again. **"I will avenge him!" **Harry was now shouting at the top of his lungs. **"I will kill the Dark Lord!" **

Everyone in the room was sitting with their mouths open in shock. Harry had a fire in his eyes that literally scared his friends and family. Ron slid down in his pew and Hermione let out uncontrollable sobs. Mr. and Mrs. Wesley were holding each other tightly, and Bill and Charlie just looked at each other, dumbfounded.

"I loved Sirius, and Voldemort took him from me. I will have my revenge**," **Harry sobbed. Tears were flowing from his eyes now, and Lupin came up to pull him back to the pew.

"I…will…have...revenge,"Harry said between sobsLupin hugged the boy tightly and Harry went limp in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"There, there, it's going to be all right. Just let it all out," Lupin said in a soothing manner.

After a while, Harry composed himself and sat next to Lupin in his pew. Lupin put his arm around Harry, comforting him.

"And now," stated the old wizard, apparently unaware of what had just happened, "we commit the body of Sirius Black to the crematorium, and his soul may be at peace." The wizard pulled out a wand from his robes. "Alohomora!" he said, and two doors behind the casket opened to reveal an empty room with several holes on the walls and floor. He then used the Levicorpus charm to move the coffin into the room.

It had just started to sink into Harry what was going on. He stared transfixed at the coffin and asked Lupin, "Wait! Did he just say crema…?"

The old wizard flicked his wand at that moment.

"Incendio!"

The holes in the coffin room blasted fire at the coffin.

"No! No!" shouted Harry. "You can't… he…"

The old Wizard flicked his wand again. "Colloportus!" he ordered, and the doors slammed shut.

Harry's face was white with shock, and with his eyes rolling back in his head, he blacked out immediately.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Good, I liked it. Just a few errors, easily fixable, and watch your canon stuff. (I don't mean plot, like events that you talk about that did happen and charms and such.) I liked how you portrayed the anger and grief of Harry, he's so difficult. And angsty. Lol.

All right, good, good. Keep it up. – Danii xox


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Burrow**

"Harry… Harry, wake up, dear… Harry, wake up," said the gentle voice.

"Wha… Where am I?" he groggily replied, his vision blurry from just being woken up.

"You're at the Burrow, dear," added the voice he now recognized belonged to Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh, I… what happened?" he replied.

"You fainted, dear. You've been passed out since we left the funeral home," said Mrs. Weasley softly.

Harry's eyes and mind were now coming into focus. "Oh! **I remember. Oh my god! They burned him! They burned Sirius," **Harry screamed in horror.

Mrs. Weasley patted Harry on the shoulder to console him. "Shhh, calm down, it was all in accordance with his wishes, Harry. It was apparently laid out in his will. Sirius wanted it that way," she informed Harry.

Harry was now fully aware of himself. "But will… his will. Why wasn't I at the reading? He was my godfather! Surely he had to mention me." Harry could not believe he had not been summoned to the reading.

Mrs. Weasley looked at him as if searching for the right words. "Well, Dumbledore thought that after everything you went through last school year, that you would be safer at Privet Drive, he…"

Harry sat shot up to a sitting position in bed, anger on his face. **"Dumbledore thought! Dumbledore thought! I couldn't give a toss what that heartless bastard tho…" **

**_Slap! _**The open hand hit him with full force, knocking his glasses to the floor and stunning him. Mrs. Wesley gasped at her action and threw her arms around him. "Oh Harry! I'm so sorry, I…it's just that I often think of you as my own son, and I can't allow you to say those things about Dumbledore. I'm so sorry!" she sobbed.

The slap had sobered Harry up as to how badly he had hurt Mrs. Weasley. No matter what his problem with Dumbledore, Mrs. Weasley had always been so very kind to him, and here she was telling him he was just like one of her own sons to her.

"It's… its okay. I'm sorry, really. I should never have used that type of language, I apologize," Harry said, ashamed of himself.

Mrs. Weasley picked up his glasses off the floor. "Harry, I… Dumbledore really cares about your well-being; he really does want you to be safe, and feels that if you don't know certain things, it can protect you. I know it seems hard to understand now, but one day you will see." Mrs. Wesley was not lecturing Harry, but trying to make him understand in a civil voice.

Harry didn't want to cause Mrs. Wesley any more stress. He would deal with Dumbledore on his own time. "Okay, sorry," he said.

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Okay, Harry. Now come along. Dinner is ready, and we have steak and kidney pudding, and baked potatoes, and fish and chips."

"Sounds great!" said Harry. "How long have I been out of it?" he asked curiously.

"Hours, dear—we wanted to let you rest. It's been a hard day for you," Mrs. Weasley stated calmly.

"I just didn't expect them to do that with his body. I didn't know they were going to…to…" Harry stammered.

Mrs. Weasley gave him another hug. "It's okay, dear, everyone understands. Now let's go. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are waiting for you downstairs."

Harry followed Mrs. Weasley downstairs into the kitchen, where his mates were waiting for him with worried looks on their faces.

"Are you all right, Harry?" asked Ron nervously.

"Yeah, I'm better. I'm really good." Harry looked around the kitchen, and into the living room. "Where is everyone else?" Harry asked as he sat down at the table to cut up his steak.

"Well, Lupin, Tonks, and Mundungus had to go do work for the Order, and dad had to work at the Ministry. He could only get half the day off. Bill went to visit Fleur Delacour. Charlie was only here for the funeral. He had to catch a Muggle flight to the Czech Republic to do some work with dragons," Ron explained.

"Dad 'll be writing to him every day about that!" chimed in Ginny.

"Yeah, I guess everyone's really busy," Harry said, and dug into his steak. "Well, what's been going on with the Order? No one tells me anything. _Dumbledore's_ orders I suppose." Harry had said his headmaster's name with a note of disgust that everyone ignored.

"Well Harry, there's really not much to tell. It seems that Voldemort has been lying pretty low after the defeat of his Death Eaters at the Ministry. A lot of the Order members are scouring the country looking for him. A few Order members are now guards at Azkaban, now that the dementors have left to join You-Know-Who."

"Tomorrow, we'll go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies. I've got the list of books you'll need," Mrs. Weasley said, changing the subject and handing the list to Harry, who looked over it.

**List of titles that 6th year students will need to purchase**

**_Potions, the Ultimate Guide, _by Azeri Loki**

**_Charms, Accelerated Edition, _by Inchatia Valourom**

**_The Ultimate Pre-N.E.W.T. Study Guide to Transfiguration, _by Minerva McGonagall**

**_Care of Magical Creatures: Walking in the Land of Giants, _by Vincent Peterzoon**

**_Hogwarts: A History, _by various contributors (see credits)**

**_The Complete Guide to Muggle Studies and Relations, _by Jane Bromhead and Thaddeus Bogs**

**_Seeing Tomorrow, _by Glades Stargazer **

**_Herbology through the Ages, _by Stanley Swampland **

**_All books indicated with are optional classes for 6th years. _**

"'ang on! Professor McGonagall wrote a book? When did she have time to do that with all that's been going on?" Harry asked in amazement.

"Oh Harry, Minerva's been trying to get that book approved for ages. I've talked to her about it. She wrote it in your and Ron's first two years—it was just approved by the Ministry this year," replied Mrs. Weasley happily.

"Is it safe for us to go to Diagon Alley with everything going on, mum?" Ginny asked.

"Well You-Know-Who's lost a lot of his Death Eaters, but the Order is sending a bodyguard for us in the morning. I don't know who though," replied Mrs. Weasley.

After everyone finished their meal, Ron suggested that they go into the den and play a few games of _Wizard Trivia_, a game that he had just bought over the summer.

"Great!" Harry said. He began to follow everyone into the living room.

"Harry, just a minute. I need a word with you in private." Mrs. Weasley's tone was serious.

"Okay, Mrs. Weasley. Be with you guys in a minute," Harry called to the other three.

"Harry, please sit down." Mrs. Weasley motioned to the chair across from where she sat. She rubbed her eyes, and it looked to Harry that she couldn't decide where to begin. Finally, she found her words. "Harry, I… You've been through a lot in your short life. More than any adult I know. More than anyone should have to endure. And this latest tragedy… well, Arthur and I were talking to Hermione's parents the other day when they dropped her off, and…well, you know how I don't approve of most Muggle…err… ways of dealing with people who hurt. But the Grangers were talking about…" Mrs. Weasley looked at a piece of paper she had taken out and put on the table, and read it to herself, then looked up again at Harry. "The Grangers were talking about these physic… psychiatrists that they have, and they… they go to school to study how people think. They are supposed to be able to help people who have suffered a great loss. To help you feel better. Like a happiness charm, only more permanent. And after… You know, how upset you were after the funeral, I wanted to ask… Harry, would you like to see a psychiatrist?"

Harry was really surprised that Mrs. Weasley would even consider Muggle science to help. She must really be worried. "Mrs. Weasley, I'm alright. Really I am. Dumbledore…" the name left a sour taste in his mouth, but he managed to say it, and sound casual with effort, "…said it was my destiny to kill Voldemort." Harry paused as Mrs. Weasley gasped. "I've accepted that, and I just got a little passionate today. But really I don't need a psychiatrist. But I appreciate your concern." Harry smiled at her reassuringly.

"All right, dear. Just let me know if you want to talk," she said.

Harry nodded. "I will," said Harry, and he started to leave. But half-way to the living room something stopped him, and he turned back to face Mrs. Weasley. "Mrs. Weasley, about what you said in the bedroom. About me being like a son to you…. Thanks."

A wide smile came across her face. "I meant it. Now go and join your friends, dear."

After the tenth session of _Wizard Trivia_, in which Hermione won with over one-hundred points more than everyone else, it was time for Harry to ask about the events of the summer.

"So Ron, what have you been up to this summer?" Harry started.

"Well, a lot really. We got to visit dad at the Ministry. He's not really happy with the new Minister for Magic, Albert Jefferson. Worse than Fudge ever was, dad says. He's got a particular dislike for Muggle relations. The new Minister says that we wouldn't have such problems as You-Know-Who if we'd keep the wrong people out of our schools and offices. He says letting too many Muggleborn kids into our schools is what's upsetting all the purebloods, and as he put it, causing fine, decent citizens like Lucius Malfoy to join terrorist groups like the Death Eaters."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Since when was Lucius Malfoy ever an upstanding citizen? Doesn't the Minister know that he was a Death Eater before Voldermort's return? I mean, what's he ever done to deserve such a title as upstanding citizen?"

Ron nodded his head but gave an explanation for Jefferson's comments. "Officially he is still listed as being innocent, because he was under the Imperious Curse back then. And they checked his public history. He's given loads of money to popular charities. Many people are arguing that he both fell in with a bad crowd, and should be shown leniency, or he was again under the Imperious Curse. Fortunately, he's the only Death Eater popular among the public. Everyone's calling for the rest of the lot to be hanged. I guess when their trials start we'll be called in to testify against them. But anyway, a lot more people are turning to the fact that You-Know-Who is coming back, and despite his apparent prejudice, the new Minister for Magic is raising an army to be ready to fight him."

Harry was a bit confused. "But Ron, why would anyone elect someone like him to be Minister for Magic? I mean, are there not more half-blood and Muggleborn wizards and witches to vote for a better candidate?"

Ginny cut in before Ron could say anything. "Dad says that Fudge had just recently been re-elected before the tri-wizard tournament, and his suicide caught everyone off guard with the next elections sometime off. So the new Minister wasn't voted in, but appointed. I guess we can get him out when the next elections occur, but we're stuck with him until then.

Harry face was flustered. "Just great," he thought "Another git sitting in the highest post in the magic world, and worse than Fudge."

But Harry was still holding out for some good news. "And what else has been going on?" he asked.

Ginny again answered eager to fill him in on missed events. "Dad took us to London to see the Muggle sights. But he got a bit confused at some of the things like computers and fax machines. We practically had to drag him out of every shop to give the storekeepers some relief from all the questions. He did seem really sad every time we passed a car dealership. I think he really misses our car, but we really can't afford another one right now."

Harry and Ron looked at each other, full of guilt. It had been their rash, irresponsible action, that had caused the loss of Mr. Weasley's car in their second year, but Harry never realized that Mr. Weasley missed it so much.

"Bill is really into Fleur Delacour. I think he's in love. Also Charlie's' met a Czech girl that he fancies who also works with dragons. So I think he intends to stay in Eastern Europe for a while. I overheard mum say that he asked Dumbledore for a more permanent assignment there. And I…"

Ginny was interrupted by a tapping on the window, and everyone looked to see Pigwidgeon flying around outside the living room window.

"Blimey! Already?" Ron said he got up and opened the window. Pigwidgeon flew onto Ron's shoulder and held out his leg. "I can't believe it," he said as he took the parchment off the owl's leg, and read the name of the sender.

"Who's it from, Ron?" Harry asked, genuinely curious.

"Loopy Luna Lovegood! She writes to me every week, sometimes everyday, and usually sends me a free article of the Quibbler."

Harry heard a giggle from Ginny and he thought a "Humph!" of disgust from Hermione, who looked none too pleased at the announcement of the sender.

"Really? She's been writing to you? What did she say?" Harry asked with anticipation.

Luna Lovegood was the one student at Hogwarts he felt he was going to be able to talk with about his godfather's death. She had seen her mother die when she was very young, and Harry needed someone who understood what he was going through when Lupin couldn't be there.

Ron began to read the letter aloud to everyone.

**_Dear Ron,_**

**_Dad and I are now back from Sweden, and we managed to catch an actual Crumple Horned Snorcack. We'll have pictures in the next issue of the Quibbler, and my father's going to loan it to Hogwarts for our Care of Magical Creatures class this year. He had to go to St. Mungo's for frostbite from it. Did you know that when we hosted the Triwizard tournament, that the Yule Ball was such a success that myself and most of the other girls at Hogwarts started a committee to have an annual ball at the school. This year the staff finally agreed. I can't wait! Anyway, how are you? What have you been up to since your last letter? Tell Ginny I said hello, and tell Harry to write to my friend Cho Chang when you see him. _**

_**Miss You,**_

**_Luna_**

Ron raised his head to look at everyone. "What does she mean, what's been going on since my last letter? I wrote to her a week ago telling her what I would be doing. I didn't even think she and I talked all that much last year, and now it's like I'm her best friend. And since when is there a committee to bring back the ball? No one told me," he said, exasperated.

"Oh Ron, wake up! It's obvious she fancies you. And Hermione and I told you and Harry about the committee to make the ball a yearly event a week after we had it. Don't you remember?" asked Ginny.

Ron and Harry both shook their heads.

"Well, obviously it's not as important to boys, but Hermione and I remember," she finished.

"Loopy Luna fancies me?" asked Ron, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah! Are you so thick that you didn't notice the way she looked at you all last year? And don't call her 'Loopy'. She's a very sweet girl," Ginny said proudly.

"Well yeah… it's just that she acts like she's' a bit…"

"**Brainless!" **Hermione shouted louder than she had intended, and she clasped her hands against her mouth to suppress her own gasp. Everyone looked at her, rather shocked. She set a more matter-of-factly tone. "I mean, she really doesn't seem that bright, especially considering she's in Ravenclaw. I just think Ron could find someone who's more… more of a match for you, that's all. Maybe you should let her down easily, Ron."

"Let her down easily? I'm not even going out with her," said Ron blankly.

Hermione looked pleased. "Good! I think you've made the right decision, Ron. Well done."

"What was that part about me writing to Cho Chang?" asked Harry.

Ron read back over the parchment. "Oh Harry, you should write to Cho Chang," Ron replied unimportantly.

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"I don't know. She didn't say." Ron shrugged.

Mrs. Weasley then entered the room. "Okay you lot, it's getting late. Off to bed you go. Harry, you'll be up in Ron's room with the twin beds."

Ron and Harry lay in their respective beds in the darkness with their eyes closed, but not yet asleep.

After a long silence, Ron started: "Harry?"

"Yeah?" came the reply from the darkness beside him.

"Do you think Luna Lovegood's beautiful?"

Harry thought for a moment, picturing her face. "Yeah, I do, why?"

Ron hesitated, and then spoke. "Well, what you think of her otherwise?" he asked.

"She seems nice. I plan to talk with her about… you know… about Sirius. She saw her mother die when she was nine, and I think that maybe she'll be able to help me talk about it, y'know. I think she's a really good person. She also showed a great deal of courage last year against Voldermort's Death Eaters."

"Eh… I wish you wouldn't say his name," Ron pleaded.

"Ron, you can't keep being afraid of a name," Harry replied.

"Who's afraid? I just don't like hearing it," Ron replied defensively.

"Glad to know," Harry added.

Ron pondered. "Do you think I should ask her out to the Yule ball?" he asked.

Harry thought about it for a minute. "Before then," he replied. "That way the ball wouldn't be such an awkward occasion for you."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

After a few minutes, Harry turned to Ron. "Why would Luna want me to write to Cho Chang?" he asked.

"Dunno, weren't you two dating last year?"

Harry reflected. "Not exactly: we had one date and she made it a disaster. She brought up Cedric, and seemed upset that I wanted to meet Hermione. I mean, I told her that she could tag along if she wanted to. Also she was always crying, and brought that stupid sneak of a friend of hers to my DA class, and got Dum…and got the class broken up. And then the silly git tried to make excuses for her friend, and looked like she was going to turn on the water works again, so I bit her head off!" Harry finished with an air of disgust.

"Yeah, well you spent a lot of time last year biting Hermione's and my head off too, ever since you arrived at Grimmauld Place."

Harry turned to Ron in the dark. "Well sorry, but you two were keeping things that I needed to know from me. You were also trying to keep me from rescuing Sirius."

Ron let out a sigh. "But Harry, Hermione and I were right about not going to the Ministry."

Harry was getting a little upset at being lectured this late. "Look Ron, the point is that I didn't know that then, so it's understandable that I was yelling at you two last year. I mean I had a lot on my mind, and you two are my friends and should understand that."

Ron turned toward the ceiling. "Have you thought about Cho Chang at all this summer?" he asked.

Harry gave a disgusted sound. "I wouldn't waste my time on a sobbing girl that's obsessed with her dead ex-boyfriend, so much that she brings him up on our first date. I've got bigger problems than her. I've got bigger problems than anyone," he said resentfully.

"God Harry, that sounds really harsh! I think she really liked you," said Ron.

Harry closed his eyes again. "Yeah well, she never did anything for me. Now get some sleep. Good night, Ron," Harry finished.

"Good night, Harry." And Ron drifted off to sleep with dreams of playing for England in the Quidditch World Cup. But Harry was not so fortunate: He had the same dream that he always did. The dream that kept him waking up throughout the night. The dream that kept him deprived of badly needed sleep, the nightmare that he was being tortured and killed by Voldemort.

In the nightmare, Voldemort would finish him off with the Avada Kedavra curse. Harry would vividly remain asleep for the torture, and feel every minute of it, but when Voldemort hit him with the Avada Kedavra curse, Harry would always wake up in a pool of his own sweat. Was it such a wonder that he was always so cranky? Everyone should be more understanding towards him. No one had it as bad as him; no one suffered the losses he had.

That morning Harry did in fact wake up in a pool of sweat again. Fortunately, he was the first one up, and was able to hit the showers before anyone else.

After breakfast everyone was finally ready for the trip to Diagon Alley. At around eight, Mad-Eye Moody limped into the Burrow to escort all of them there. They would all be going through the Floo Network.

As they got ready to step into the fireplace, Moody asked Mrs. Weasley if he could talk to Harry in private for a minute before they left. "Err…Harry before we go, I'd like to have a word with you in private, really quick," said Moody.

"Right, how about the kitchen?" Harry gestured behind him.

After they had left everyone in the living room, Harry and Moody sat down at the kitchen table.

"Harry, I've just come from the Dursleys and getting your things. And well at the beginning of the summer I had a talk with your Uncle. I warned him to treat you well, or I'd come and have a not-too-friendly chat with him. I think I came on a little too strong. When I came through the Floo the Dursleys were horrified, and Mr. Dursley begged me to spare him and his family. I think I came on too strong that day at King's Cross station. It really wasn't my intention to scare him _that_ bad. I tried to calm him, but he was in tears. I felt really bad and made my way out of there as soon as I could," Moody finished.

Harry smiled at the picture of the Dursleys cowering and sobbing. "Look Mad-Eye, I think the Dursleys needed a scare. I only wish I could have been there to watch them squirm," he said.

"Harry, it's not good for the soul to delight in the suffering of others," Moody said with an air of sternness in his voice.

"I guess that would depend on who the others are. They seemed to delight in my suffering all those years," Harry said bitterly.

"Well you don't want to be like them, do you?" Moody asked.

"I'm not like them. I'm better than them. I'm better than all of them put together. Haven't you been reading the Daily Prophet? I'm _The Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived," _Harry said proudly of his titles.

"Well, _The Harry Potter, _try not to get too big a head, vanity is never a virtue, and putting yourself above others alienates you from them," Mad-Eye finished.

"Right," said Harry. He was humoured at the thought that Mad-Eye Moody was giving him advice about alienating himself from anyone with his record of being a recluse.

"Well, chat's over Harry. Let's go to Diagon Alley. I'll have Arthur try and calm the Dursleys in a few weeks," Moody said as they returned to the fireplace.

Everyone reached into the black kettle to grab some Floo Powder.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Reflecting of Cho Chang**

The waiting room of the hospital intensive care unit was cold and sterile. The cleaning staff had just recently finished mopping the floor, and a fresh pine scent hung in the air. Rows of plastic orange chairs were propped against a wall, and in those chairs sat the room's only occupant.

Just off her shift of working as a volunteer, and still in her candy striper uniform, Cho Chang began to reflect on her past few years. They had not been good to her. Her mum had been in and out of St. Mungo's several times over the last four years. Each time the healers thought they had the problem solved, she would show symptoms of the disease that was slowly destroying her body. She had taken many potions, some of which had had terrible side effects. Many of the charms made her very groggy. Even Cheering Charms did not last long. Cho had spent two of the last three Christmases with her mum at St. Mungo's. Often, her mum would be so sick from the treatments, she was barely conscious. When Cho had returned from a disastrous sixth year at her boarding school, her father had told her that the healers at St. Mungo's had done all they could. The family should consider checking Mrs. Chang into a Muggle hospital, as they had made some advances in treating this particular disease. Cho was devastated, and this was piled on everything else that had happened to her. She felt so helpless when it came to her mother.

In addition to her mother's illness, Cho had had other traumatic events in her life lately. In her fifth year at Hogwarts, her boarding school, her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, had been murdered at the end of term. Cho had really grown close to him and was only now fully moving on from the feelings and grief she'd held for him.

During her sixth year, things had not been any better. First, the Ministry of Magic, the government of the wizarding world, and the Daily Prophet, the wizarding world's legendary newspaper, had been writing awful things about her childhood hero, Harry Potter. They were saying he was insane and delusional, and was liable to explode into violent rage at any moment. The Ministry implied that he was capable of harming other students, and a few of Cho's fellow Ravenclaw friends had transferred schools to get away from him.

Cho could not believe that so many of her fellow students believed the lies. She knew it could not be true and became a champion for the cause of his innocence. But it was a lonely station to side with Harry Potter, and it didn't exactly make her the most popular person in school to be defending a boy everyone else thought was mental. Now, he was no longer _The Harry Potter_ or _The Boy Who Lived_, but "Harry Potter, danger to other students."

Cho had been in several heated arguments with good friends who had said that Harry should be expelled. Most notable among them were her friends Beverly Jones, and her best friend Marietta Edgecombe.

Marietta had had a particular dislike of Harry Potter for a long time, one that Cho could not understand. And it was with Marietta that the most heated debates had occurred. And not just about Harry. Marietta and her friend Daniel had been picking on a girl named Luna Lovegood that Cho had been tutoring since her second year. Luna was a sweet girl who always seemed a little lost. People treated her badly, but Cho had managed to get her a few friends. Cho had made Marietta back off when she was around, but Marietta and her friends would continue to torment her when Cho was gone. So Cho chastised Marietta, and lectured her about tolerance for others, and tried to get her to see that Luna was a nice person, just as she had tried to get her to see that Harry was a good person. Cho had always had a reputation of being an arbitrator, always trying to get people to compromise to get along. But Marietta and many of those closest to her were really putting her to the test.

Another event that school year had come after she convinced Marietta to join the DA. The DA was Harry Potter's illegal Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The Hogwarts Grand Inquisitor, Professor Umbridge, had been sent by the Ministry of Magic to make sure the students did not learn anything to prepare themselves for the Dark Forces in the outside world. Umbridge dumbed down al studies so of course a student led Defense Against the Dark Arts class purposefully flouting her authority, was not going to be tolerated.

When Cho found out about it, she was elated. She had always had a crush on Harry Potter, growing up with him as the hero of her childhood. Once he had even asked her to the Yule Ball, but she had already agreed to go with Cedric Diggory. True to her loyal nature, she had to turn him down. But now she had a chance to actually help him out. She could do something to support him.

It was very secret, so Cho had to choose the people she would try to convince to join carefully. She had asked Beverly Jones, because she had in the past stood up for Beverly and even been sent to Professor Flitwick's office for doing so.

However, Beverly was outraged at the idea of the illegal class, even though no one was a fan of Professor Umbridge. Many students were still convinced that Harry was going to go off at any moment, and he had been heard having rows with his best friends on more than one occasion. Beverly threatened to go to Umbridge, for Cho's own safety, but Cho pleaded that Beverly say nothing, or else Cho would never speak to her again. So Beverly relented.

After a while, Cho had convinced three of her fellow Ravenclaw friends to go to the first DA meeting, and among them was Marietta Edgecombe. Cho knew that if Marietta could just see Harry and hear him out, she would see that he was actually a wonderful boy, and was telling the truth about You-Know-Who. She practically dragged Marietta to the meeting kicking and screaming, but she was Cho's best friend and Cho knew that she could change her views about Harry and other people in general. She wanted to be a good influence on her friends, and she knew that if she worked hard enough, she could change Marietta's mind about others.

At the first meeting, everyone signed a piece of parchment agreeing to never tell anyone about the class. _They could torture me and I would never tell,_ she thought as she signed the parchment.

Cho couldn't take her eyes off Harry, and all the feelings she'd had for him since she first saw him, and the dreams she'd had about him her whole life, were welling up inside her. But Harry seemed to be avoiding her gaze. This hurt Cho. Perhaps he didn't really like her. Maybe he didn't know she existed, and he had only asked her out last year because he hadn't made a date yet and he was desperate. But no, any girl would be honoured to be with Harry Potter. And last year he was still _The Harry Potter_ and not the _fallen hero_ people saw him as now.

Cho tried to stay after the meeting to talk to Harry, but every time, something seemed to come up and he disappeared. Things were going so badly for Cho this year, and she was still trying to recover from Cedric's sudden death. She still didn't have any details of what had happened. All the Headmaster had said was that You-Know-Who had killed him. But Cho didn't know how, and she missed Cedric.

With everything on top of her mother's illness, the events were taking their toll on Cho. She seemed to do nothing but cry all the time, and her grades were slipping. She was even doing horribly at Quidditch, her favourite sport. She felt she was due to have something good happen in her life, and aside from her mother recovering, the other thing she wanted was to be with Harry.

In addition to her romantic feelings for Harry, he had been the last person to see Cedric alive, and was present when he died. Cho needed to ask Harry what had happened that night, so she could close that chapter of her life.

After the last DA class before Christmas holiday, Cho finally found herself alone with Harry in the Room of Requirement, where the DA classes were held. She was feeling more depressed than usual that day, between a letter telling her that her mum would be in St. Mungo's that Christmas again, and her desire to tell Harry how she felt about him. She was still feeling guilty about having deep feelings for someone else so soon after Cedric's death, and there was the simple fact that she was feeling not at all well. All of it together was causing her to cry again, and all she could say to Harry was that she really fancied him, and to steal a kiss under the mistletoe. It was a beautiful moment, and Harry radiated heat like warm sunshine. Cho hadn't intended to be crying when she kissed him, but she couldn't seem to control herself. Nonetheless, it was the greatest kiss she had ever had, and she wished that the moment could last forever.

Eventually, Harry asked Cho to the Hogsmeade Valentine's weekend, and finally her spirits began to soar! Maybe this was the break that was long overdue. Maybe now, something nice was finally coming her way. She wanted so much to be with Harry, that the second he had asked her on that date, she had planned to go to the most romantic places in Hogsmeade. Everything on that day would be perfect, even if the rest of her life was far from it.

When Cho and Harry had first met to go for the weekend, they had started off towards the town talking about a subject they both loved, Quidditch_. A great start,_ she thought as they laughed, and talked about past games.

However, when they reached Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop, Harry grew very quiet, and started ignoring Cho. She thought maybe he was angry with her, but couldn't understand why. The atmosphere was very romantic and she looked into Harry's eyes lovingly. She put her hand out on the table for him to hold as so many couples around them were doing, although they were also kissing. Cho had hoped that Harry might want to as well, and hoped seeing the other students would encourage him. But he really seemed to be working hard at not paying attention to her or anyone else. Cho had the idea to get him jealous by mentioning that Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, had asked her here, but she had turned him down. Cho said this to show Harry that she wanted to be here with him just as much as she said it to make him jealous. But it only seemed to distance him from her even more.

It was really becoming awkward now, and Cho was searching for something to talk about so she wouldn't bore her date. She thought that he might still be hurting from Cedric's death as she was, as he had seen him die. Talking about it would help bring them both closer to healing the grief, and would perhaps bring the two of them closer as well. She'd asked Harry about it, but it was a mistake, and he seemed to get offended. He'd stood up, saying that he had another girl, Hermione Granger, he wanted to meet now and Cho could tag along if she wanted to! Cho was devastated. How could he have another date? This day meant so much to her. It was supposed to be so special, and she was just one of many other girls to him.

She ran out of the shop crying after telling him how hurt she was. She couldn't focus on anything after that, and she went through several weeks in a daze, not paying attention in class or at Quidditch practice. She begam to talk to Marietta about it, but Marietta kept saying he was dangerous and Cho should turn him in. Cho screamed at Marietta in a fit of rage until her throat was sore. She may be mad at Harry, but she knew he was telling the truth, and he was still her hero. She still believed in him. But she couldn't bring herself to look at him. He had hurt her too badly. Whenever she passed him on the school grounds, she looked away because it hurt to know that she meant so little to him when he meant so much to her. More damning articles were coming from the Daily Prophet about Harry, and Cho still hated the way people talked about him, and she still got into rows with her friends about him.

Eventually, an article in a magazine called the Quibbler, owned by the father of Cho's friend Luna Lovegood, came out and it contained an interview with Harry and a complete description about what had happened that day at the Triwizard Tournament, including You-Know-Who's return, and Harry's temporary defeat of him. Cho read the article over and over. Finally! This was what she needed to bring closure to everything. Now she knew what had happened.

She rushed to find Harry, and rebuild the connection that had been lost that day in Hogsmeade. It didn't matter how many dates he'd had. He was worth Cho proving that she could love him more than ten girls, and she wanted him to know that she cared about him, and would always stand by him. Now, with this article coming out, many other students started coming over to Harry's side, and started to believe what Cho had known all along. Harry Potter was a hero, brave and honest, and the Ministry was full of stupid gits, who were not to be trusted.

Cho came up and hugged Harry. "I always believed in you," she said.

Now things were getting better for Harry, and Cho was so happy for him. They were on good terms again and she held his hand every chance she got. Things seemed too good to last. It turned out they were.

Eventually, Marietta Edgecombe ratted out the DA, and almost got everyone expelled. However, she had paid for it, because Hermione Granger had jinxed the parchment to spell out SNEAK in pimples across the face of any person who ratted out the club.

Cho was furious at both Hermione and Marietta. It seemed a sneaky thing to do to jinx the parchment without telling anyone, and she didn't exactly like Hermione to begin with, seeing as she was the girl that Harry had left Cho for on Valentine's Day.

But she was even angrier with Marietta. How could she betray the boy she knew Cho thought the world of? How could she betray all the other students, and how could she betray Cho? But Marietta had sworn that she'd only done it because she was afraid of her mother getting into trouble if the Ministry found out her daughter was in league with their enemy, and she thought that if she came forward, everyone would only get detention.

Cho accused Marietta of doing this because of her old prejudice that Cho had fought so hard to break her of. "You did this because of your hatred for Harry! Because of what he represents to you! You promised you would stop this, you traitor! I hate you!" Cho had cried.

But Marietta had returned, "No, Cho! I swear, I was only concerned for everyone else. I still think he's dangerous. But you know I wouldn't have turned him in for that! I promised you I'd change, and you know there were other purebloods in that class. I'd never betray them. I was really scared for my mother! And all of you!" Merritta gasped. "Oh, the pain. I can barely breathe. The scars hurt! Do you think I'll die, Cho? Will you come to my funeral?" Marietta asked dramatically.

"Hey, Stop that. You're not going to die, but we need to get you back to Madam Pomfrey if you're hurting that badly." Cho said nervously. Marietta now looked like she was in real pain, and for a moment, Cho worried that maybe Hermione had jinxed the parchment to kill. Marietta had changed a lot over the last few years, and not for the better, but surely she didn't mean to really get anyone expelled. It was just a mistake, a horrible mistake. She couldn't really have meant to cause so much trouble, and she had learnt her lesson, and then some.

A few days later, Cho ran up to Harry to apologize, to beg forgiveness for Marietta, and ask it for herself. It was all her fault that Marietta had been able to do what she did. Marietta never wanted to go. Cho had dragged her to the meetings. She had only intended to prove to Marietta that she was wrong about Harry and to support Harry, as the whole school was against him, and to do the right thing in general. So many things had gone wrong, and it was all Cho's fault.

She started to apologize to Harry, but to her surprise, he started attacking poor Marietta, who was still complaining about the pain from the pimples on her face. Cho tried to explain that Marietta had only been afraid for her mother, who worked in the Ministry, and it was very hard on her. She also said that Hermione had been wrong to jinx the parchment without telling anyone.

When Harry started defending Hermione, Cho became jealous, and before she knew what she was saying, she blurted out, "Oh, so it's always Hermione, is it!" Tears started to well up in Cho's eyes as she thought that she would never win Harry back from Hermione now, and she could swear he was looking at her with hate in his eyes.

"Don't start crying again!" Harry shouted.

"I wasn't going to!" she lied, but she ran to her dorm room and did so for the next few hours.

The rest of the term, Cho couldn't concentrate on anything. Her studies were failing fast, and Professor Flitwick brought her into his office to complain about one of his star students taking such a sharp drop so fast.

More time went by, and then it was Roger Davies complaining that she wasn't paying attention at Quidditch practice. Her mind was focused on how she had ruined things for everyone, especially herself. She was feeling new emotions of hate for herself, of worthlessness. She just wanted to help everyone, and instead, she had messed everything up. Now Harry hated her. She still couldn't do anything but think of him.

These thoughts were going through her mind as she slowed her broom and saw a gold flash under her nose, snatched up by a red blur as the Gryffindor Seeker grabbed the Snitch from under her nose.

She'd just lost the House Cup for Ravenclaw.

She'd just ruined everything for everyone again. As she always did. She wasn't even paying attention to the game. _Why am I so stupid?_ she thought. She was so frustrated with herself, she slammed her broom down in disgust. She was the biggest dunce in the world, and it was affecting the boy she loved, her friends, and now her entire house. How did the Sorting Hat ever put someone as stupid as her in Ravenclaw?

One last time, she saw Harry in the halls at school, but she was about to tear up again and had to look away before she did. She was sure he hated her. It hurt so much to know it.

She avoided him on the train; she didn't want him to yell at her anymore. Marietta tried to talk to her, but Cho wasn't in the mood. She spent most of the trip back to King's Cross crying in the lavatory, wishing she could take back everything.

A gentle hand on her shoulder shook Cho out of her lamenting trance.

When Cho arrived back at St. Mungo's that summer, she went to the wing of the hospital where Marietta was undergoing several anti-jinxing treatments for her pimples. At first, Cho tried to comfort her, but all too soon Cho realized what a mistake she had made in defending her. Marietta had ranted about how she was going to kill that Mudblood Granger girl, and how she was mad and disappointed in Cho for befriending and going out with Mudbloods. She started on Cho's friend Beverly again, and Harry Potter.

Cho was devastated. Harry had been right. Cho had had a duty to the boy she cared about to support him, and because Marietta was in such pain, and they had been friends for so long, Cho had defended her. All Cho's efforts to change Marietta had been in vain, and all Marietta's promises to change were lies, lies that Cho had believed because she wanted to believe that she could be a positive influence in someone's life.

Cho had left Marietta's wing of the hospital wing in tears and minus a best friend. The only bright side Cho could see was that at least she didn't have to divide her time between Marietta and her snobbish pureblood friends, and Cho's Muggle-born, half blood and kind pureblood friends. Cho had always hated having to arrange her schedule to allow time to be with all of her friends, just because Marietta and Daniel wouldn't associate with those who weren't purebloods.

_If you think that way, why aren't you both in Slytheren? _Cho thought. But Cho now realized that she couldn't change anyone's heart and soul. Marietta and Daniel would always hold those views, and nothing Cho could do would change that. _Just tack it on as one of her many failures,_ she thought bitterly.

A gentle hand on her shoulder shook Cho out of her trance, and back into the present again. "Cho, honey, the doctor wants to see us now," said the voice of her father.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Muggle Hospital**

Cho looked up at her father through teary eyes, with a sad expression that had become all too common for her.

Pao M. Chang was a dark, athletic man, who usually had a cheery attitude in even the worst situations. He had always been the cheery spirit in the family. Cho envied her father's positive outlook on life. She could never seem to come up with the optimism that he had had come naturally.

Mr. Chang had, until recently, been a lawyer for goblin affairs. He had run a successful practice on the outskirts of Motherwell, Scotland, until moving to London when his wife's condition worsened, and she was put into Wellington Hospital. The healers at St. Mungo's had reached the limits of which magic could be of help.

Now, Mr. Chang was working at Gringotts as an accountant in their Diagon Alley branch. He had landed the job thanks to the help of some of his goblin clients, who had been very grateful for his services in the past in a court case that had returned a large portion of goblin mining rights in the hills of Northern Wales.

But now, Mr. Chang was tired. Not from physical fatigue, but from having to watch the woman he had loved for twenty-four years go through an agonizing illness that no magic could cure. Now he was placing his hopes in science, Muggle science. He was hoping that the technological magic of their machines, and potions that they called drugs, could save the woman that meant more to him than life itself. Both he and Cho would gladly trade places with her to alleviate her pain, but that kind of magic didn't exist when it came to this disease.

Cho and her father walked down the main hallway to a dark brown wooden door with a frosted glass window that had letters painted on it, reading **Dr. Claude Gardiah, MD Oncology. **

Cho's father rapped on the door and a voice beckoned the two of them inside. They entered a small office with paintings of French countryside and several plaques and awards on the walls. A large wooden mahogany desk took up most of the room, and three black leather chairs surrounded it. Two of the chairs in front of the desk were empty, but in the third chair behind the desk sat an elderly gentleman in a lab coat, a stethoscope hanging around his neck. With a smile, he motioned Cho and her father to sit down.

Dr. Gardiah was one of the world's leading oncologists, and had been taking care of Cho's mother since she had been admitted to Wellington Hospital in midsummer. It had been Dr. Gardiah who had recommended Cho become a volunteer, since she was spending so much time at the hospital, not liking to be too far from her mother for any length of time. The doctor would even mentor Cho when he had a little time, answering many questions about the ingredients of the drugs, effects of the treatments, and purposes of the high-tech equipment in the hospital. The doctor thought Cho was a very bright young girl, very keen to learn, and very hard working. Dr. Gardiah was sorry to see Cho in despair so much of the time, but given the circumstances, it was understandable.

Still, he was proud of the way she was able to turn those emotions off, at least outwardly, to take care of her patients. Cho would put on a caring smile, and make sure the people she was attending received everything they needed. She was actually the most liked volunteer in the hospital. Dr. Gardiah had also observed that Cho was a dutiful daughter, always by her mother's side when she could be. Her father had made her take weekends off to go out and be a normal teenager and have fun. In addition, Cho was attending driving school. But every minute she had free, she spent at her mother's side.

The doctor rose from his seat and leaned over the desk to shake Mr. Chang's hand. "Mr. Chang, how have you been holding up?" he asked.

"Oh, as well as can be expected, doctor. Chi is sleeping. She said she already talked to you in private. We would have preferred to be with her when you told her, but she insisted she wanted to hear the news from you, by herself. And now it's our turn," said Mr. Chang nervously.

"Yes, of course. You see, most of my patients like to hear any news, positive or negative, by themselves first. That way they can have time to recover from the shock, and explain to their family after they have calmed down. But Mrs. Chang was very insistent that I explain it to you, instead of her, as she was in a lot of pain, and wanted to rest as soon as possible. Before I begin, I wanted to ask Miss Chang, did you take the final test this morning?"

Cho raised her head. "Yes, I passed this time. Mrs. Younger said I should receive my card in about a week, just before I go back to school."

Dr. Gardiah beamed. "Good, you passed this time! I knew you would. You've been doing a great job since you've started as a volunteer here. I'm very proud of you."

Cho's face turned a bright shade of red, and she looked away. "Th… thank you, Dr. Gardiah. I'm very grateful to have had the chance to help out," Cho replied.

"Yes, we've been glad to have you. Again, well done." Dr. Gardiah paused for a minute, and his face became grim. "Well, now to some bad news, I'm afraid. As you said, Mrs. Chang wanted to be alone when I gave her my findings. Well, after we performed the core needle biopsy, which draws a small piece of tissue, as opposed to just cells, we found that her tumours are invasive and they have spread. In addition, although the chemotherapy has shrunk the cancer cells somewhat, before she arrived here, the cancer had already spread beyond the breast.

"I don't know what type of treatment they had given her at—St. Mungo's, was it? But there should have been some treatments she needed that don't seem to have been administered. Nowadays, we can catch **_Breast Cancer _**a lot earlier than in the past. Ordinarily, we would have performed a lumpectomy, which as you know, Miss Chang, is a breast conserving therapy, which involves removing the cancer from the breast along with a rim of normal tissue, and then removing the auxiliary lymph nodes. The auxiliary lymph nodes are located right at the edge of the breast, under the arm. Then we follow up with radiation therapy to the remainder of the breast.

"But, Mr. Chang, your wife's condition is so advanced that this is no longer an option. So as the cancer has spread throughout the breast, I'm afraid that we must perform a radical mastectomy. What we're actually going to do is a modified radical mastectomy, where we remove the entire breast, including the nipple and lower lymph nodes under the arm."

"What?" Cho shot up out of her seat. "You can't do that! There must be something else! Daddy, tell him to do something else!" Cho looked at her father pleadingly, awash with fresh tears.

"Cho, yo mei yo li mao!" her father shouted in anger, and he glared at her with dagger eyes.

Cho let out a whimper, and sat down, subdued and ashamed. She broke into uncontrollable silent sobs. Cho knew exactly what the procedure involved, as she had devoured every Muggle medical manual she could get her hands on, hoping to find a cure that Muggles had come up with. It seemed every treatment that the Muggles had was being used on her mum, but Cho was also trying to get a better understanding of the disease so she could come up with a cure on her own, so her mother could stop suffering and be healthy again. She knew that if she spent enough time studying, she could come up with a cure. She used to do so well in potions, and now she had to find a cure, soon, but the Muggle doctors wanted to start cutting off parts of her mother's body. Cho knew that the doctors at Wellington hospital were kind people, particularly Dr. Gardiah, but the idea seemed so savage to her.

"Please excuse my daughter's rude outburst, Dr. Gardiah, I am embarrassed. Please continue," said Mr. Chang.

"It's fine, Mr. Chang. You've all been under tremendous stress lately. It's understandable. As the cancer has reached stage B, I'm afraid that a radical mastectomy is unavoidable. And then we will continue with the chemotherapy, and radiation treatment."

After a brief pause Mr. Chang spoke. "Please excuse me, doctor, but the chemotherapy… my wife Chi says it hurts so much. She says it's like putting "Drano" in her veins. Are there no other potions - I mean drugs, you can use?"

The doctor gave a sad sigh. "Well Mr. Chang, she's not too far wrong. Chemotherapy is highly toxic, and although it does a good job at attacking cancer cells, it also attacks healthy tissue. We have to have someone constantly monitor the patient while administering it, because if it gets to the exposed skin, it eats through the flesh like acid. But the chemotherapy helps to shrink the size of the tumours and it is the best drug we have for that. If she's in very serious pain now, I'll authorize an increase in the dosage of morphine in her IV unit, to make her more comfortable."

Mr. Chang nodded. "Doctor, my daughter's outburst was disrespectful, but I… also have to wonder if there is not something else that can be done. I mean, some alternative. There are so many highly technical machines and drugs here. Surely some allow you to not have to cut into her," he said in an almost pleading voice.

Dr. Gardiah looked down. "Mr. Chang, if we are going to save her life, this is the only way. But she can still live a long, healthy, happy life, if we can get all the cancer with this mastectomy. And when she's ready to leave the hospital we can fit her with a very good prosthetic breast as well, if she wishes.

"She will feel a certain sense of loss for a while—it happens to all patients. But once we solve this case, there is no reason that she can't continue just as she was before the cancer. A while after the treatment, if we get all of it, she can go hiking, sailing, or whatever other activities she liked to do.

"If either of you two have any questions, now is a good time to ask, as I'll have her prepped for surgery on Monday."

Cho, who was still racked with silent sobs, now looked up at her father pleadingly. Her tears were flowing quickly down her cheeks. Mr. Chang understood that Cho was desperate to ask about alternatives to the doctor's treatment, and he knew that it would be an effort in vain. But perhaps she needed to hear it from an expert.

"All right, Cho, ask any questions you have now," her father said.

Cho rubbed her bloodshot, puffy eyes, and began to speak as tears still ran down her face. Her words were hesitant and she choked on many of them. "Dr. Gardiah….I'm sorry…f…f…for my outburst earlier. I… I… was reading about… her… hormonal therapy… and… and it said… it said that it could block… the effects of hormones on the tumor cells… causing… causing them to d… die. We… could… give her… more…"

Dr. Gardiah interrupted Cho in a gentle voice. "Miss Chang, we are already giving your mother hormonal treatment. You know that. You ask me in detail very often."

Cho wiped away more tears with the sleeve of her shirt. "I…I…know, but, but… if we gave her _more!" _Cho pleaded.

"Miss Chang, I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. I'm sorry, but this mastectomy will save her life," the doctor said compassionately.

"But… but I was reading about how… how… doctors in Canada were wo… working with lasers to get rid of the… tumours, and I thought that if…if we…." Cho struggled to get out the words.

Dr. Gardiah sighed again, and nodded his head. "Yes Miss Chang, I went to the seminar about it last year in Calgary, Alberta. But that's for cancer stages 0 and 1. It doesn't work when the cancer has spread this much. Stage III, or B, is just too advanced. But really, Miss Chang, we have pursued every option available to us, and have come to the conclusion that this is the only acceptable solution.

"Now, I know how you feel, but I also know that you've been studying **_Breast Cancer _**since your mum was admitted here. You know from your studies that we have to do this, don't you?"

Cho looked up at the doctor one more time, and nodded. "Yes… yes… I… I know. But I've… I was trying to find a cure. I know I can. I just need more time. I've been trying…" She trailed off.

"That's good, Miss Chang, but it takes several years of medical training to get a good understanding of what to try and do as far as research goes. Every doctor here, including myself, is trying to find a cure, and we have the help of doctors all over the world. One day we will find one, and maybe if you're a doctor in a few years, you'll play an intricate part in it. But until then, stop trying to take this burden on. It's enough that you are there for your mother. I've seen you by her side almost every night, and it's enough that you do that for her.

"Are there any other questions you have for me now? I don't mean to rush you, but I've a very important meeting to go to in fifteen minutes."

Mr. Chang said, "Well doctor, what time should we be back on Monday?"

Dr. Gardiah stretched his arms, and yawned. "Excuse me. A bit tired. You should both be here at about nine in the morning. I'll be prepping her for surgery at ten, and performing the surgery at noon."

Mr. Chang gave a wan smile, stood up, and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you, doctor. Thank you for everything. If you'll excuse us, we have to go and say goodbye to Chi for the weekend."

As the two of them walked out of the office, Cho turned to the doctor. "Sir, I… I'm sorry about before; I'm just really scared."

Dr. Gardiah gave a nod. "Miss Chang, at this hospital we have a very high recovery rate. I've seen patients even worse off than your mother make a full recovery. Just have hope."

Cho nodded one more time. "I… I will, thanks, doctor. Thank you."

Cho and her father now stood by her mother in her hospital room. Chi was not the only patient that occupied it. Another woman in her mid-sixties was visiting with family behind a closed curtain. Cho could hear them talking about how the woman was going home in a few days. The lumpectomy she had had rid her of all the cancer, and all her follow up tests came negative. She was going to go home soon with her son, and husband, and their mood was happy.

Cho was envious. She wished that they could be like that family, that her mother could make a full recovery from her **_Breast Cancer._**

"**_Breast Cancer," _**Cho thought. What a horrible thing. It was a name that Cho feared worse than the name of any Dark Lord. It was the material of her nightmares to constantly have the image of her mum suffering. It was one of the few diseases that had the same name in the wizarding and Muggle world.

But why did the healers at St. Mungo's not employ some of the Muggle techniques if magic did not work against this disease? Why had they not had her mother transferred to the Muggle hospital earlier? Because the thought of someone cutting on another person to help them get well was so foreign to the wizarding community? Possibly, but Cho wasn't sure. She was learning a lot of things as a volunteer in the hospital that the wizarding world didn't have, like first aid. Well, she had learned a similar temporary patch spell that was all well and good, but you needed your wand, and what if for some reason you didn't have your wand with you? Why not learn some Muggle first aid, just in case?

It didn't make any sense to Cho. She looked down at her unconscious mother lying in her hospital bed, hooked up to an IV that would every so often drip morphine to keep pain from her. Unfortunately, the morphine also put her mum to sleep often, or made her groggy, just like a lot of the charms used at St. Mungo's to lessen the pain.

Cho thought her mother a beautiful, strong-willed person. Cho reflected on vivid memories of her mother teaching her how to swim, and going on hiking trips during the summer holidays, and even going to the goblin cart races with her parents. Her mum had always been so active and full of life back then, and now as Cho looked at her, her mum's beautiful dark skin was a pasty yellow. The long, raven black hair that used to cover her mum's head was now gone, lost to the chemotherapy.

But Chi Chang was still beautiful to her daughter, who wanted more than anything in the world for her to get better. Cho watched her father talk softly into her unconscious mum's ear. He then kissed her on the forehead, and walked to the door with a sad look in his eyes. The men in the Chang family did not cry in front of anyone, but Cho knew he wanted to.

Cho gave her mother a tight hug, not ever wanting to let go for fear of losing her. But she let go after a minute, knowing it was time to leave. "I love you, mama. We'll be back on Monday. The doctors are going to cure you. We'll go and see the Tornadoes play again next year." Cho kissed her mum on the cheek.

Cho and her father walked out of the room and made their way to the lift and from there to the car park, and they got in the van that her uncle had lent them. Then they started on their way home, down the narrow London streets.

"Dad, I was thinking. Maybe… maybe I should stay here this year. I mean, I need to be close to mum, and I know you'll both need me. I'll work really hard and-"

Her father let out an exhausted sigh. "No, Cho, that's not going to help. Look, your mum wants you to finish school. It's important to her that you graduate. Now look, I… I know you want to help, but believe me; your mother is in the best medical care in the country, and in fact in the world, Muggle or wizarding. You've been right by her side all summer, and she's very proud of you, such a dutiful daughter, how could she not be? I'm also very proud of you, Cho. But this is your last year of school, and your marks have to improve. I don't want to get another note from Professor Flitwick. He and I both know what high marks you're capable of getting."

Cho put her head on the cold window of the vehicle. The last year at Hogwarts, she thought… and not a clue what she wanted to do afterwards. She could go to the Healers' school in St. Mungo's South Wing for Advanced Magical Healing Training, or she could go to a Muggle university to study to be a doctor. Cho used to have dreams of playing Quidditch for the Tornadoes in the league, or even for Scotland in the World Cup, but those dreams were crushed when she kept losing her concentration last year, and lost the Cup because she couldn't get Harry Potter out of her head. She vowed never to play again. All she ever did with it was let people down who depended on her.

_Yeah_, she thought. _I can just see myself playing for the Tornadoes now. Not catching the snitch, and losing every game for them. I don't belong anywhere near a Quidditch Pitch_.

Her father made a right turn onto Nelson Road. "Almost there," he said. "Home and tea."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Squib in the Family**

The Changs were a pureblood wizarding family whose magical lineage went back thousands of years. Almost every wizard or witch in the extended family could trace their history back to the ancient nobles of the many dynasties of China's past, and in the family's past, purebloods did not intermarry with Muggles, in order to keep the magic users in the family continuous. However, in recent times, as wizarding science had proven that the lineage of a family did not determine whether the offspring would have magical capabilities , the Changs had agreed to allow relationships outside of the pureblood community. Despite the revision in policy, however, the Changs kept their preference for marrying and dating only pureblood magic users, and although no one before Cho had done so, the family certainly did not look down on her when she had started dating Cedric Diggory.

The one exception to the Changs' long-standing policy, started in ancient times, of having relations only with Pure Bloods had to do with the family _Squibs. _Squibs are persons from predominantly magical families who are incapable of doing magic. They were allowed the choice of having relationships with Muggles, or other members of the wizarding world. Squibs had never been looked down upon in the family history, and were never historically chastised for relationships with Muggles.

Cho and her father had been staying with her uncle and his family since they sold their house in Motherwell. Cho Chang's uncle Zhongyu Chang was a Squib who had left the wizarding world to seek his fortune in the construction industry as an architect. He was also a very capable plumber and electrician. He had married Ying Fong, now Ying Chang, who was a Muggle dentist. Cho's uncle Zhongyu had three children of his own, the oldest of which was Sean Chang, twenty-five years old and working in China as a British Ambassador to their Ministry of Magic. Also there was Cho's cousin Sally, who was a year younger than Cho, but had no magic ability. Finally there was Cho's cousin Ling, who was only seven and destined to go to Hogwarts, as she had already showed a lot of magical ability.

The Changs of London lived in a tower of luxury flats in London's West End. The Lord Nelson Tower arose thirty-five stories in the air, with the Changs occupying the twenty-seventh floor. Unlike regular flats, the rooms in the Nelson Tower were vast, and Cho's family had decorated theirs with a hodgepodge of items in the styles of different eras of Chinese history. To the casual Western observer it might have seemed harmonious, but Cho thought it looked a bit thrown together to see woodcuts from the Tong Dynasty intermixed with vases, and furniture styled after the Ming Dynasty, and still even more paintings and sculptures that looked as though they were taken from the Han Dynasty. But still, it looked better than the house she and her father had just moved from at the beginning of the summer.

Cho reflected on the look of her living room at home, with still paintings of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders in victorious battle against the French, wood carvings of the Forbidden City in Beijing, and animated paintings of Scottish and Chinese wizards from various parts of history. The paintings must really be upset having to be kept in storage, she thought, but the move had been so sudden that there was really nothing she could do for them until they found a new flat.

Cho was in her room, drinking tea with her two cousins and talking about Hogwarts and the wizarding world. They never got to see each other, so they were eager to catch up and hear all about it.

"Tell us about the ghost again!" said Sally excitedly.

"Well, there are four of them: the Bloody Baron, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, the Fat Friar, and the Gray Lady—she's the ghost for our house."

"Are they scary!" asked Ling.

"No, not really. They are actually very friendly. Oh! I forgot one: Moaning Myrtle. She's the ghost that haunts the girl's lavatory. She was killed by a Basilisk a long time ago."

"Well what about Quidditch?" asked Ling.

Cho looked away and lowered her eyes. "Ling, I… I told you I didn't want to talk about that anymore."

"Oh! I forgot. But why? It's all you used to talk about. Did you get hurt again?"

Cho shook her head. The memory of losing the Quidditch cup for Ravenclaw, because she was had been so distraught over Harry, was fresh in her mind. "I just don't want to talk about it. I'm sorry, really."

Sally nodded her understanding. "Well, tell us what the Houses are for again. How does the Sorting Hat determine which one you go into?"

Cho took a drink of the tea, and then began. "There are four Houses, and the Hat sorts you by your best attributes. Slytherin is for the most cunning and ambitious people. Then there's Hufflepuff—that's where the most hardworking and accepting of others go—and then Gryffindor, for the noble and brave, and Ravenclaw, for the most intelligent… um… I mean, except for me." Cho looked downunsuccessfullytrying to hide the fact that she was upset, but she could tell that Sally and Ling could sense something wrong.

"Oh come on, Cho, why are you so down on yourself?" comforted Sally. "You're clever. I mean, look how quickly you learned to use my computer and phone—and you're even going to get your driver's license next week. All this while volunteering at the hospital."

"Yeah, I… wanted to thank you for that. I really think that the Internet thing is great. It helps when I can't be at the library."

Sally smiled. "No problem, Cho, but why don't you start going to sites other than medical web pages and stuff like that? I mean there's this great site you can download music videos from, and there are chat rooms other than the one for the cancer that you go to. It might be nice to try something different, you know." When Cho didn't reply, Sally continued, an impish grin on her face. "Um, I know what'll cheer you up. Isn't Gryffindor the House that _**the**_ Harry Potter is in?"

Cho's mouth dropped. "Um… yes, he…" a tear emerged from her eye, "…he's in Gryffindor. He… he's the bravest."

"And didn't he kill that You-Know-What guy last year?" Ling added in.

"I, I don't know. I mean, I never believe the paper usually, but I know that he could. He's not afraid of anything. So maybe it's true. It makes sense," Cho replied.

"So you've actually met him then?" Ling continued.

"Um… yeah, we met."

After a pause, Sally said, an anxious note in her voice. "Well! What's he like in person?"

Cho thought hard about how Harry had ignored her on their only date, and dumped her to go out with some other girl fifteen minutes into it. She thought about how he had bitten her head off when she tried to apologize. She was still hurting from it. She wanted to say that Harry was a mean, uncaring person, and that he didn't care about who he hurt, or how much he hurt a person, but something stopped her. She knew this wasn't true. He had faced so many dangers and had so many friends… He must be a nice guy, and Cho didn't want to think of him otherwise. There had to be something wrong with her. She just didn't deserve to have someone like him care about her. She looked up at her cousins. "Well he… he's very brave. I… we really didn't talk much. He has a girlfriend."

"Oh! I see," Sally replied.

"Well how are Marietta, and Danielle, and Beverly?" Ling changed the subject.

"Um, well actually I don't talk to Marietta and Danielle anymore. We had a falling out, and I realized what kind of people they are. I… I don't like how they treat people, so yeah, we don't talk. But… but I just got my thank you note from Beverly for her skirt and blouse that I got her for her birthday. I'm glad she liked it . Thanks for helping me pick it out for her," she said with a weak smile.

"Wow, sorry to hear about Marietta and Danielle. What was the problem?" Sally asked.

"Oh, it's personal," Cho said flatly, not wanting to talk badly about anyone, even them. Anyway, it didn't matter; the two of them were out of her life for good, and she was better off for it. Too bad that was the only thing she was better off for, she thought.

"Well, hey. We've got some good news. We are going shopping tomorrow, and you're coming," Sally said happily.

Cho looked distressed. "Oh, I… no, I have so much studying to do. I have to find out more about curing…"

Sally cut her off. "Oh no you don't, _Miss Chang_! We've already talked it over with Uncle Pao, and you haven't allowed yourself any, _**you time**_ all summer. You're just promoting the stereotype that all we Asians do is study all the time and never have any fun. So come on and have some for once."

Cho could tell it was important for her cousins to do this for her, so she hesitantly relented. "Okay, I need to buy some makeup, and maybe a few clothes for school. So I'll go."

Ling let out a happy cheer. "Yeah! I'm glad you agreed, we were ready to tie you up and drag you down there, but this way would be a lot more convenient."

Cho gave another weak smile. "Well, I know I should get out more. A lot of my friends come from Muggle families, and it's been cool to see how you lot live."

Sally looked enviously at Cho. "Is it better in the magical world?"

Cho thought for a second. "No, just… different, really. I mean, a lot of my friends that are pureblooded have never even seen a telly. We have radio, but just one channel. All the pictures in the wizarding world move, but we don't have anything as cool as the Internet."

"Why are the worlds separated? Why aren't most Muggles allowed to know about it?" asked Ling disappointedly.

"Well, a long time ago, Muggles used to burn witches and wizards alive. I suppose there's a lot of resentment still, but it doesn't matter to me. I think there should be more cooperation today,. I mean, the burning times were so long ago, and the two worlds have so much to learn from each other, particularly in the medical field."

Sally yawned and looked at the time. "Wow! Quarter past two already, we'd better get off to bed, or we'll sleep right through tomorrow."

"Good night, Cho," her cousins chimed in unison.

"Good night." Cho smiled.

Cho looked at her bed after they had left. She hated going to sleep. Sleep meant more nightmares. The nightmares were constant for Cho. The nightmares used to consist of Cedric dying at the hands of Voldemort, but had recently been replaced with numerous others, mostly about Cho letting people who depended on her down. A few constants were losing the Quidditch cup for Ravenclaw, and the World Cup for Scotland. Others were recreations of her worst moments last term, and this summer break. As Cho drifted to sleep she saw these visions of her past.

"Um, hey listen, Cho, I've got to go meet another girl… another girl… _another girl_…" came the echoing voice of Harry as Cho tossed in her bed.

"No, I'm sorry Harry, don't leave me! I won't mention Cedric again. I promise," Cho said in her sleep, wishing that she had said that at Hogsmeade.

Then her dream switched to another scene with Harry yelling at her_**. "Don't you start crying again!"**_ he said with hate in his eyes. "_**Don't you start crying again…. **Don't you start crying again..."_

"I wasn't going to, I..." Cho was now sobbing in her sleep.

And then the scene in her subconscious state shifted again, and a new angry voice came to her. _**"I'm going to kill that Mudblood bitch!**__**I'm going to torture her to death with the Cruciatus Curse… Cruciatus Curse… **Cruciatus Curse**… I'm going to kill that Mudblood bitch!" **_echoed the voice of Marietta Edgecombe.

Cho continued tossing in her sleep, sickened at the thought of anyone using such a horrible spell on anyone. Even if it was a girl that Cho didn't particularly like, she didn't wish harm to her, especially that kind of harm. Finally the most horrible dream came to Cho; it was the one she hated most, and the one she now had even more often than the others. It was about Harry Potter being tortured and nearly killed. Some evil person with snake-like eyes, whom Cho guessed to be Voldemort, although she had never seen him before, would torture Harry for ages it seemed with the _Cruciatus_ Curse, and then fire off the _Avada Kedavra_ Every time, Harry was almost hit, but something moved in his way at the last second. Always, the nightmare of Harry being tortured was the worst for Cho, and always, it was the one that woke her up, and made her hate to sleep. After a while she was able to drift off again for a few hours, before…

…"_**Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" **_shouted the voice at full blast, and Cho was startled by what she thought an earthquake might feel like, as the whole bed shook violently.

Cho shot up instantly. "What! What's going on!" she asked, startled.

As she opened her eyes, Ling came into view, jumping up and down on her mattress and causing the shaking. "Come along now, will you? We have shopping to do, you know. Don't want to be late."

Cho looked through bloodshot eyes at the time: five past ten. "Oh, I… can't I just sleep for five more minutes?" she asked as she pulled her pillow over her face.

"Nooooooooo, you can't!" came Ling's reply, and the mattress started shaking as she again took up the _**"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"**_ chant.

Cho knew she had no choice. "Okay, okay, you win. I'll get my shower." Cho grabbed the clothes laid out the night before, and made her way to the bathroom. She put the clothes on the counter, and threw off the t-shirt and knickers that she slept in the night before. She then proceeded to try and turn the knob so that the water heat would be just right—a nearly impossible task, and she wished that she could just use a little magic, but she wouldn't be seventeen until the third of October, and was still too young to even flick a wand until then.

After a few minutes she finally managed to get the water the right degree of heat, and stepped in. She grabbed the soap and sniffed its scented odor, "Irish Spring." After lathering up Cho reached for the shampoo and conditioner, which smelled of vanilla, and was of an expensive variety found only in the Muggle world. Cho had to keep her eyes closed as the shampoo ran over the front of her face. She was about to wash it out when she realized that she had neglected to lock the door of the bathroom, and heard someone open it. "Someone's in here!"

"I know! Wha ha ha ha ha," came the reply.

Then, as Cho started washing the shampoo out of her hair to see who it was, she heard it, the dreaded sound of a toilet flushing.

"Oh, no!" she gasped an instant before the water from the shower turned into what felt like sub-zero temperatures. _**"Ahhhhhhhhhh! Ling, I'm going to kick your arse!" **_

After a good breakfast and a brisk walk, Cho and her cousins arrived at the local shopping district. Sally and Ling were still smiling at the fact that Ling had got her cousin twice in a week with the flushing toilet trick. Cho made a strong mental note to be absolutely sure to lock the door next time. Cho had finally managed to see the humor in it, after she had calmed down, but any more would be too much.

The trio went into several stores, mostly window shopping, but also buying things on occasion. Cho bought a new pair of blue jeans from GAP, and a handbag and belt from Claire's Accessories. For her friends Luna Lovegood and Beverly Jones, she bought some Muggle items that she thought they might like. She bought Beverly a beautiful turquoise brooch laced with red silk, and a copy of the latest best-selling mystery novel by Beverly's favorite author. For Luna, she bought a pink leather purse with matching billfold, and a Muggle item that she thought Luna would like called the _Magic 8 Ball_. It was a round plastic ball that looked similar to a mini Bludger, which had a glass window on one flat part. You had to shake the ball, and ask it a "yes" or "no" question, to which it would give a mostly "yes" or "no" answer.

Cho was surprised that the Muggles had magic items. There was so much she was just finding out about the world of some of her friends like Beverly. But didn't Beverly know that there was a _Magic 8 Ball_? Cho had asked her once if Muggles had any magic items or could cast any spells, and Beverly had said that they didn't and couldn't. italicize her thoughts _Wait until I show her this magical item that was right under her very nose! Maybe I should get one for Beverly too_, she thought, and picked up a second one and proceeded to the till to pay up.

Cho was glad to have her cousins with her to actually make the transactions. She was getting used to Muggle money, but was still a bit confused at the value of the coins and paper money. The trio headed to several shoe shops, and Cho bought her cousins some nice high heels that they were looking at with excitement. She was glad to pay Sally and Ling back in some small way for the kindness they had shown her. She was really lucky to have such people in her family. Her uncle and aunt had also been wonderful and had opened their home to Cho and her father as soon as he told them that they needed a place to stay that was close to the hospital. Cho finished up at the shoe shop by buying a pair of black high heels and a pair of white trainers with green stripes.

Upon leaving the mall they passed a beautiful fountain with a center column carved with lion heads that spit water out of their mouths into a pool filled with what looked like money. Sally went through her purse.

"Oh bugger, I haven't got any change. Cho, could I borrow two pence please?"

"Yes me too!" added Ling.

"Okay," said Cho curiously, "but what for?" She pulled two ten pences out of her purse.

"Oh no Cho, the pence, the copper colored money, not the silver," said Sally.

"Well, do you want some of this paper money? I think it's the most valuable," Cho offered.

The two of them laughed at a joke that Cho didn't get. "Oh Cho, don't be silly. We can't throw a fiver into the fountain! We need two pence each." They giggled.

Cho was very confused. "Why would you want to throw any money into the fountain at all?"

Sally and Ling looked at each other like they could not believe what Cho just said.

"To make our wishes, of course," said Sally.

"Duhh!" Ling put in.

Cho had a blank look on her face. "Wishes?"

Cho's cousins gave each other a confused glance. "Well. You know when you pass a fountain or a well, you're supposed to throw two pence in and make two wishes. And your wishes will come true. Don't you have fountains and wells in the magic world?" Ling asked.

"Yes, but no one I've ever known has ever thrown money into them... God, there's so much about Muggles I don't know. I'm taking Muggle Studies this year. Oh, here." Cho produced four pence from her purse and split them between her cousins, and took out two more for herself. "Um, how does it work?" she asked politely.

"Well, you take your money, walk to the fountain, and think about your two wishes. Then you make them as you throw the money in the water. Later, your wishes will come true," Ling said proudly.

"How do you know it works? Have your wishes ever come true? And what makes them come true?" Cho asked with genuine interest.

"I wished for a bike on my eighth birthday and got it," said Sally. "And we both wished that dad would be okay after that car accident a few years back, and he was. You have to sort of take it on faith. Muggle magic, I suppose you could call it. Anyway, I think it works."

Cho watched her cousins went up to the fountain with looks of concentration on their faces, and threw in their money. She noticed that other people around were doing the same thing. _Maybe there is something to it,_ she thought.

When it came time for Cho to cast in her money, she concentrated hard on the two things she wanted most in the world: first, for her mother to make a full recovery, to be back to her active, happy self again, and doing the things that she loved to do. Cho threw the first coin in, and then concentrated on her second wish. What did she want? She knew—she wanted Harry to forgive her, to give her another chance. She missed him horribly, and wanted to have another chance to go out with him, to make things right. _She wanted another chance with Harry. _

Cho tossed her last coin into the water and turned to face her cousins. She started "I wished for…" But her cousins both cut her off in unison.

"No! No! You can't tell us your wish before it comes true!"

"Why not?"

"That's just the rules," replied Sally. "Just don't tell us, and it will come true."

_What a strange ceremony_, Cho thought. "Is there anything else we have to do?" she asked, changing the subject.

Sally looked at her watch. "Yes, we have to catch the bus; we need to be home for lunch."

When they arrived back at the luxury flats, Cho's father said that three owls had arrived for her. They had been flying around in the hall when he got home, and now the neighbors thought that the lot of them were keeping unauthorized pets.

"So make sure you send them back as soon as you can. I'll _dissipate_ the window for a minute when you're ready," her father said happily.

The three owls were perched on the couch in the living room, and Cho grabbed a few biscuits that her father kept for the owl that delivered the _Daily Prophet_ She went to the first one and removed the parchment from its leg, and realized that Sally and Ling were right behind her, anxiously awaiting what news the letters had brought. Cho's father had usually been able to determine when the owl delivering the _Daily Prophet_ would come in, so he had bewitched the window to Dissipate during that time, and Reappear after the owl had left. Sally and Ling were always up early to see it, and thought it was so awesome to have an owl deliver the paper every morning. But none of these owls were bringing the _Daily Prophet_.

Cho opened the parchment and read it to herself.

"Well, what's it say? Who's it from?" asked Ling, not being able to contain herself, and Sally eagerly nodded her head in agreement that Cho should tell them.

Cho also nodded. "It's from my friend Luna Lovegood. She's writing to say that her father has captured a Crumple Horned Snorkack, and is lending it to Hogwarts for Care of Magical Creatures class. She says since this is my last year at Hogwarts, and I'm not required to take the class, she wants me to take it as an elective, so I can see it with her."

"**Wow! An actual Crumple Horned Snorack...**What's a Crumple Horned Snorack?" asked Sally excitedly.

Cho looked worried. "Well, I… it's supposed to be a mythical creature that doesn't exist. I mean, no one's ever seen one. And there are only a couple of obscure references to it in books about the history of magic. I don't think they really exist."

Her cousins looked disappointed. "You mean your friend is lying to you?" asked Sally.

Cho responded quickly. "Oh no! No, no. Luna would never lie. It's just that she has a very active imagination. But if she says she has captured a Snorkack… then I know that she _really_ believes it." Cho thought worriedly for a minute. "Poor Luna, some of the idiots at our school are really going to tease her when she can't produce one."

"Does it say anything else?" Ling asked with enthusiasm.

"She says she hopes this boy named Ron Weasley will ask her to the Yule Ball, and she will meet me at the station when we go to King's Cross. She also asks how Mum is."

Sally smiled. "Is he fit, the Weasley boy?"

"Uh, I don't really know. I don't remember him really."

"Will you take the creature magic class?" Ling asked.

"Um, I don't know, I'm kind of behind really and don't have a lot of time for extra classes. I'll have to think about it." She gave the owl a biscuit and asked it to stay around for a while until she could decide on a reply. Cho then went to the second owl and took the parchment from its leg.

"And what is that one?" Sally asked.

"It's a list of books that seventh years will need for school, and a note to send back listing any optional classes that we want to take." Cho looked the list over again: seventh years did not have potions as an option. Maybe Professor Snape could give her some private tutoring to help her find a cure for her mother? Maybe there was something in potions that the Healers had overlooked. She had to find the cure to help her mother, and she was sure that there must be some mixture of potions that could do it.

Finally, Cho came to the third owl, and took its parchment. Cho opened it and read it to herself, growing ever angrier as she did.

**_Dearest Cho,_**

_**I'm home from hospital now and the Healers were finally able to remove the jinx from my face! I've been reading books constantly to find a way to get back at that Mudblood bitch—the Dark books that you can't get at the regular book shop. **_

_**I've found a way to get even with her, and I want your help. I remember she was the one who stole Potter from you, so let's both see she gets what she deserves. I'm still awaiting your apology here at the mansion. I know you're sorry for the things you said to me, and I know that you will do the right thing and be true to your pureblood roots. There are things going on in the magical world now that you need to consider. There is a new age dawning on us. Wondrous things are going to happen soon, and there are certain things that you need to do to purge yourself of bad things you've done in the past. I caution you as your friend to stop talking to, associating with, and most especially dating, Mudbloods like Diggory, and that Potter boy. I know that everyone liked Diggory and all, Even I thought he was okay for "one of them", but you're better than that. You need to stick to your own kind. Purity is the most important thing in this world. **_

_**Remember Cho, you are better than anyone who's not the right kind of people. I know it has never made a difference to you what people were, but all that has to change now. Danielle and I can no longer merely ' turn the other way in disgust, while you befriend people who are not worthy to lick your shoe. You don't want to be a traitor to your own people, do you? Your family's magical lineage goes back a long way, so I know you will do the right thing. Write me back as soon as possible.**_

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Your real friend, _**

**_Marietta Edgencombe_**

**_P.S. Danielle says hi, and she's very disappointed that you still consort with the wrong kind as well. But we both know you'll do the right thing. _**

Cho swore to herself and threw the parchment to the ground in disgust. Marietta even thought of Cedric and Harry as Mudbloods, even though Cedric's father was a wizard and both of Harry's parents were magical. But Cho didn't think that anyone should be ridiculed because of what their family's lineage was. It didn't matter to her if someone was a half blood, pureblood, or Muggleborn, and she didn't think that it should matter to anyone else either.Damn it! Stupid racist _bitches!_" she said as her cousins jumped in shock.

"What… what is it?" asked Sally.

Cho looked at her two cousins, embarrassed. "I… it's private. Look, I'm sorry, but I need some privacy to answer these letters. Can we talk later?"

Sally gave a weak smile. "Sure, Cho, we understand,. Come on, Ling."

Ling resisted. "But what did it say?" she pressed.

"None of our business," said Sally. "Don't be so nosy. Come on, let's go and play cards, while Cho writes her letters."

"Thanks guys," Cho said weakly. She got a few pages of parchment out of a drawer, and grabbed her quill off her uncle's desk. She put one of the parchments against a book, and began to write:

**_Dear Luna, _**

_**I'm glad to hear about the Snorkack. I think it's great that you managed to catch one. Of course, I'll take the Care of Magical Creatures class with you this year. **_

_**Mum's in a Muggle hospital now, and I'll explain when I see you again. Please don't tell anyone, as I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me, and it's kind of a personal family matter. But I really want to thank you for being my confessor this summer. I really needed someone to talk to who I knew would keep it confidential, and you've been great. I think Weasley will definitely ask you out. He would be a git not to want to be with someone like you. I miss having you to talk with in person. **_

_**Also, thanks for your offer to have Weasley talk to Harry for me, but no thanks. Harry hates me, and he deserves better than me anyway. I couldn't even see through Marietta last year. And besides, he's got a girlfriend. So please don't even mention it. **_

**_Well, again, thanks so much for being there for me. I can't wait to see you. _**

**_Love you like a sister,_**

**_Cho_**

Cho then folded the parchment and tied it on the first owl's leg, asking it to wait until she finished the other letters. She then filled out the second letter to Hogwarts, asking to take Care of Magical Creatures class and Muggle Studies. She folded the note and gave it to the second owl, and asked her to wait as well. Finally, Cho flattened out the third piece of parchment on the book. She wrote a short letter filled with anger:

**_Marietta, _**

_**You must be completely daft to think that I'm about to apologize to you. I can't believe how stupid I was to buy into the lies that you've been telling me all this time. I tried to get you to see how wrong your stupid prejudices were, but you insist on putting yourself above other people. **_

**_Well, count me out of you little group of hate mongers. My life's going to be so much better with you and Danielle out of it. The world is a better place because of people like Cedric, Harry, and Beverly Jones, and I actually pity you both for all the great friendships you'll miss out on by not getting to know them. _**

**_You and Daniel can both get stuffed. And don't either of you send me any more letters because I won't be accepting them._**

**_Stupid gits. _**

**_Thinking you're a sneak,_**

**_Cho._**

Cho called for her father to come in the room to _dissipate_ the window. As he got ready to do so, she asked him for a favor. "Dad, can you make this one a Howler? I would, but I'm not allowed to use magic outside school."

Mr. Chang was taken aback. "Who are you sending a Howler to?"

"The wrong kind of people," Cho replied quietly.

"Huh?"

"Oh, just someone who's not a nice person, and has been a bad influence on me."

Mr. Chang looked at his daughter suspiciously. "Well, okay Cho, but just this once. It's really something I don't want to be a part of, your problems with your friends."

Mr. Chang cast the spell to make the letter a Howler, and Cho attached it to the third owl and gave them each a biscuit. Mr. Chang _Dissipated_ the window and the two of them watched as the owls flew away. Mr. Chang then set the window back to normal.

"Everything set for school?" he asked.

"I'll have to get a book for Care of Magical Creatures class that I'm taking as an elective," Cho said.

"Okay. Well, I've got some paperwork from Gringotts to work on, so I'll see you at dinner. Take care, baby," Mr. Chang said with a smile.

"Thanks, Dad. Love you," Cho replied, and walked back into Sally's room to hang out with her cousins.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: _The Harry Potter_**

Harry, Hermione, Mad-Eye and the Weasley family stepped off the double-decker bus outside the Leaky Cauldron. As Harry entered, he was greeted with great cheers by the patrons of the establishment. People shook his hand, hugged him and thanked him for his great deeds during what was now being termed, "The Battle of the Ministry." One woman, in a plaid coat and black bowler hat, introduced herself as Angela Finnegan.

"Congratulations Harry, me boy. I knew you was innocent of the lies that they was saying about you. You go ta school with me boy Seamus; we always believed you weren't dangerous, always believed your story." she said in a thick Irish brogue.

Harry shook the woman's hand half-heartedly and smiled falsely, remembering the heated argument he and Seamus had had the first month of last year. Seamus had said that his parents hadn't wanted him to go back to Hogwarts because of what the papers were saying. And now, here she was, acting as if she had backed Harry up all along.

Harry remembered how almost the entire wizarding world had been against him when he'd come back to Hogwarts. The dirty looks he got, the sneers, the people trying to avoid him at all costs, and only Hermione, the Weasley family and a very few others to back him up. Of course, when the Ministry made Umbridge Grand Inquisitor, he had a few more students willing to talk to him, and more when he started the DA classes, and after the Quibbler article. But before those events, he could count his allies in the student body on two hands with a couple of fingers to spare.

But now, now he was _The Harry Potter _again, and he wasn't going to let the Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet bring him back down. Last year he had been a villain for most of the year; this year, he would be a hero. Now that Rita Skeeter was back at the Daily Prophet, he was going to use Hermione's blackmail skills to have only favourable articles printed about him. Didn't he deserve it this year? Didn't he deserve all the praise that was being heaped on him after all he'd been through? He thought this as he made his way through the cheering throngs to the back of the Leaky Cauldron and the entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Stand aside, boy!" Moody said, tapped the appropriate bricks with his wand, and the entrance revealed itself.

As the small band moved down the street, Harry was greeted by even more elated fans. People were begging for his autograph, and asking him to sign the Daily Prophet with pictures of him. Girls screamed in star-struck awe at the sight of him. For once in his life, he was enjoying the attention.

A group of seven, giggling girls around his age came running up to him in a huddle, but stopped short, and all began to blush. After a few seconds of discussion, the group pushed one particularly pretty girl with dark brown hair towards him. Her face was beet-red, and she held a copy of the Prophet with his Triwizard Tournament picture. His image was fidgeting around, and had an embarrassed look on its face, but not quite as embarrassed as the girl standing in front of him. She tried to get the words out that she wanted to say.

" Harry… I Mean sir… I mean… Mr. Ppp…p…p…p…Potter, would you pppp…ppp……ppp…please sign my ppp…p…p…paper, sir?" she stammered.

Harry was reminded of Professor Quirrel from his first year by the stuttering. But Quirrell was long dead and could do no more harm.

Harry took the paper from the shaking hands of the girl and looked at the front page. This article was kind to him. It had been this way, the papers hailing him a hero since he'd returned to the Dursleys and he remembered how he hadn't cared about his fame, still grieving over Sirius' death. But now, being here, having throngs of people worshipping him, he began to enjoy himself. He'd even come above the article about the poor girl who was killed in a vampire attack, a story that he had been following.

Harry looked at the girl and asked, "Got a quill?" Her mouth dropped open, and she dug into her pockets, as three of her friends produced quills and offered them out to him. Harry took one at random and asked the girl her name.

"My name? Its uhhhhh, um…it's, wait I know it."

Harry smiled at her.

"It's Fiona," shouted one of her friends.

"Yes! That's it! Fiona," she said quickly, embarrassed.

"Fiona, do you and your friends go to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Ye…yes sir. I'm a third year, sir," she replied nervously.

"And what house are you in?" Harry inquired.

"I'm in Slytherin, sir." _Really_, he thought. _Interesting, some of these fans I'm getting. _

"And are all your friends in Slytherin, too?" he asked, intrigued.

"Nnn…no, Mr. Potter sir. Nancy's in Gryffindor and B…Bridget is in Hufflepuff, sir" she continued, pointing out two of her friends.

Harry nodded and signed his autograph: **_To Fiona. Thanks for your support, see you in school. Harry Potter._**

"Well, you're cute, Fiona; but let me give you a word of advice. Stay away from Draco Malfoy this year, and I'll think even better of you. Oh, and you can call me Harry." He smiled. Something suddenly came over him and he kissed Fiona on the cheek. He was glad her friends were so close behind her, because they were able to catch her as she fell backwards in a faint from the kiss.

Suddenly, several people were shaking numerous parchments and papers at him to sign. Harry signed the autographs for the rest of Fiona's friends and a few more people.

Finally, Mad-Eye tapped him on the shoulder. "Move along boy, this is not what we're here for and the crowed is going to make it hard for me to protect you. We need to keep moving. Now get going."

"Oh, right! Sorry everyone, I've got to go," he said apologetically.

"Ahh, that's not fair," said a lot of disappointed onlookers, not all of them teenagers. There were also adults, of many different ages.

"Well, anyone who's a student that really wants an autograph can catch me between classes this year," Harry said with a shrug.

Harry turned to Ron. "I know that Lockhart was a git, but I'm starting to see the attraction in being loved by thousands, especially after last year." He finished as the group made their way through the shops in the alley. Harry noticed that Ron looked a bit resentful of his good fortune.

"What's with you?" he asked.

Ron looked up at him, his face full of disappointment. "Well, it's just that there were six of us in the battle that night, and you're the only one that's getting the credit. I mean, all the papers say is Harry Potter took on Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and was accompanied by friends. It barely mentions our names. A writer from the Prophet interviewed me, and he kept asking me about you. What was it like to be saved by _the Harry Potter,_ what was it like to be rescued by _the boy who lived_? I told him that I wasn't a hostage, but fighting by your side, and I get a wow, really! What was it like to be fighting alongside _the Harry Potter?_ I'm not jealous or anything, but I wouldn't mind the rest of us getting a little credit once in a while."

Harry gave Ron a pat on the back, "Not to worry, Ron. Hermione can get Rita Skeeter to do that for you. Can't you, Hermione?"

Hermione shrugged. "Sure, Ron, I can do that. _If _you're nice to me," she said with a flirtatious smile.

"I thought I was always nice to you," Ron said, perplexed.

"No, I mean if you're _nice to me,_" Hermione repeated meaningfully.

"What are you on about?" said Ron.

"Oh, never mind! Why do you always have to be so thick?" Hermione shot angrily. "I've got to go to the lavatory; we'll meet at your brother's joke shop. Come on, Ginny." The two girls rushed off quickly before Ron could respond.

"What's got into her?" Ron asked Harry.

"I'd say she fancies you, Ron" Harry cut in.

"What, me? No, Hermione and I have always been just friends. Besides, she likes that Viktor Krum, crumb," Ron said, adding the crumb with an air of offence as they continued to walk down the street.

"Are you sure about that, dear? I was getting the same impression as Harry myself. You're sure she just wants to be friends?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

Ron was a little agitated.

"Well, yeah mum. She's always saying, Oh, Viktor understands me, and oh, Viktor is always interested in what I'm doing, and reads my poetry, and on, and on, and on. You know, I read her poetry once, and all she writes about is girly stuff, like feelings, love, and well things that girls talk about. Viktor is a little too in touch with his feminine side if he's that interested in that."

"Well Ron, do you pay attention to Hermione when you talk to each other? I mean, when she brings up subjects that she's interested in?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Ron looked puzzled.

"Well, usually, but then she eventually goes off on things like feelings, and romance and things like that, when I'm trying to tell her important, relevant stuff, like about the last Quidditch game, or about an article on the latest racing broom. I mean, sometimes it's like we run out of things to say, and it gets awkward, and after a while when no ones said anything, she brings up Viktor the crumb. Saying how, oh! Viktor sent me an owl, inviting me to go to Bulgaria this summer, but I came here instead. Showing off how Viktor was so into her, that's what she's doing," Ron finished with a burst of bitterness.

"Ron, I think Hermione was just showing you how important being with you was to her. So much so that she turned another boy down because she wanted to be with _you_. That's how girls try to show boys that they are interested in them. It's her way of saying that you're important enough to her to give up other opportunities," said Mrs. Weasley.

Ron was confused. "Well, why doesn't she just come out and say she wanted to be with me and not Victor? Or just come out and say that she likes me?" he asked.

Mrs. Weasley sighed in exasperation, and gave a capitulated look.

"Oh Ron, that's just not the way we girls usually do things. Just try reading between the lines. Sometimes girls will talk about other boys in front of you to get you to pay attention to them. Honestly, I've got to have a sit down with you and Harry about how girls think," she said exasperatedly.

"It's all a bit bonkers if you ask me, mum. I'll never understand girls. I mean, if I fancy a girl, I'd just come out and say it."

Harry smiled at that statement, thinking to himself: _Then why don't you just say it to Hermione? _

The group passed more crowds of supporters along the way to Wimbydale's, the new bookshop in Diagon Alley. Harry wondered again how many of these people had believed the Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet, and had been against him last year. Rather a lot, he expected.

_My, how things chang_e, he thought as the group entered the bookshop. Harry and Ron looked around the store for the books on their list. The first required book they came to was **_Potions: The Ultimate Guide, by Azeri Loki_**. Harry looked at the book with absolute revulsion.

"Damnit! It's not fair. We were finally supposed to be through with Snape last year, and now they change the curriculum on us. Advanced Potions indeed: as if we needed that. You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think its Dumbledore trying to make my life miserable again."

Ron let out a sigh, and rolled his eyes. "Harry, Dumbledore really is concerned about you. And it's not just you. All sixth years have to take Advanced Potions."

Harry gave a nod of reluctant agreement. "Yeah, I know. It's just that…Snape _again_."

A stack of books on a table caught Ron's eye, and he walked over to them. He picked one up and put it in his shopping basket.

"What's that one?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh. It's Animato, for Special Effects Magic class. Luna told me about it. It's about how to perform Muggle magic in movies. She thought I might like to take the class with her, and it sounded interesting. An American friend of her father teaches it. So I thought, why not," Ron said with a shrug.

"That sounds like a strange class. You mean, like how they film actors hanging from wires against a blue screen, and then add in a back ground to make it look like they're flying?" Harry asked.

"What are you talking about? I've never heard of anything like that," Ron replied, bewildered.

"Oh, I saw a special on it," Harry said.

The group continued shopping, and picked up books for Ginny and Hermione as well. When they were done, they started off toward Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop owned by Ron's twin brothers. When Harry and Ron were out of earshot of Mad-Eye and Mrs. Weasley, Harry asked Ron a question. "Do you think what your mum said about Hermione and Bulgaria was true?"

"What do you mean? About him inviting her? Yeah, she showed me the letter," Ron said.

"No, I mean, when Hermione told you that she turned down going to Bulgaria to be with you. Do girls really say things like that to show you that they're willing to give up doing something else to be with you, to show you how important you are to them? Like saying that they would rather be with you than someone else without just coming right out and saying it?" Harry asked.

Ron's face was blank. "Uhh…well, I guess so. I mean, girls are different. It's like they're not even on the same planet as us sometimes. Why? Do you think mum's right about Hermione? That she was just trying to make me jealous, and to show me that she wanted to be with me so much that she gave up being with Viktor?"

Harry thought for a minute.

"Well, maybe. I seem to remember Cho doing something like that to me last year. She mentioned that Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain last year, asked her out for Valentine's Day, and she turned him down to be with me. I wonder how many other girls are doing what Hermione and Cho are doing, and not just coming out and saying that they really want to be with us," Harry said.

"Yeah, well, if that's the way they're going to act, I guess I'll need a crash course on girl lingo, and the way that they act." Ron commented.

"So, how does your mum feel about the joke shop?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Well, at first, she hated the idea, being as serious about having all her children graduate as she is. But when she found out how much money they've been pulling in, she changed her tune. Not that she's money hungry or anything, she just wants us all to be able to take care of ourselves financially after school. Anyway, the shop is doing really well, and they're swamped almost all the time. Fred wrote that actually running the business has taken so much of his time that they haven't had time to make any mischief. Here it is," Ron finished as the two of them reached the store, with Moody and Mrs. Weasley a little behind.

The joke shop was modest looking enough on the outside, with a dark wooden framework, and two windows on either side that displayed popular items like Extendable Ears and Skiving Snack Boxes. Harry and Ron walked through the door, and were impressed to see that Fred and George had bewitched the place to be bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. All around them, colourful practical joke items littered the shelves, and there were a lot of customers standing in the queue with their selections.

Ron looked at one item on the shelf that looked like an obviously fake rubber-snake. "Can't say I'm impressed with this item. I mean, who's it supposed to fool?"

Ron picked it up to show Harry the bad workmanship, when with a tiny puff of smoke the snake became very real and wrapped around Ron's wrist.

"Ahhhh! Harry, talk to it, tell it to leave me alone!" Ron pleaded. Harry jumped away but recovered quickly and started to attempt to speak in Parseltongue to tell the snake to let go of Ron, but it didn't appear to be working.

"You're not going to get it off him speaking in any language, Harry, unless you know the right words to say," came George's voice from behind him. "Ron, just say Riddikulus to it," he continued casually.

Ron gave him a horrified expression, but looked at the snake and gave a stuttering "R…r…Ridiculous". The snake turned back into the harmless, very fake looking piece of rubber that it had been moments before.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked, rubbing his wrist.

"One of our newest little toys. We call it the double scare. You put this somewhere that someone will happen on it, and they'll jump with fear. After a few minutes, when they close in on it and realise that it's fake, they'll go to pick it up, and poof, another scare. But all you have to do is say Ridiculous to turn it back to a harmless piece of rubber again. Well, actually, it's harmless either way. It's not a real snake, and it won't bite you even when it looks real. That's going for five sickles apiece," George said.

"But, how will people know to say Ridiculous?" asked Harry.

"Oh, it comes with instructions on the box. We assume that whoever plants it will hang around to see the results of their handy work, and be able to say Ridiculous before the victim dies of shock," George said with a grin. "Also, the Extendable Ears were selling so well that we decided to work on Extendable Eyes as well. But here's my personal favourite!" He took a box with a bottle of potion in it off the shelf.

Harry and Ron looked at it. "What is it?" they asked in unison.

"Paisley Potion. You drop some of this on someone's clothes, and in ten minutes, it turns them pink with yellow flower patterns. Of course, it only works if you use it on guy's clothes. I think girls would actually enjoy it. But think of how much fun you'll have if you put it on Malfoy's dress robes this year," George finished with a grin, as mischievous smiles lit up Harry and Ron's faces.

Harry suddenly noticed a small crowd gathering behind him. Fred was in front of them.

"Hey, Harry, they all want your autograph. Tell 'em that you'll sign it for any paying customer," he said with a wink.

"Fred," Mrs. Weasley cut in. "We haven't got time for that. The boys are here in Diagon Alley to pick up their school supplies. We just dropped in for a quick visit."

"Oh, come on mum. Harry's going to want to sign to keep his fans happy anyway. And you look like you've already got all the books they'll need. It's early. Just an hour, it'll bring in loads of people."

Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Alright, just an hour. I suppose I'm happy to see Harry get the credit he deserves after how everyone treated him last year."

Fred grinned shyly to his mother. "Thanks, mum. We've already got a table set up. This way, if you please, _The Harry Potter?_"

Ron followed Harry behind the table, and spotted a cute, blond-haired girl that he recognised as a sixth year Hufflepuff from school. He whispered into Harry's ear.

"Hey, Harry, do you think you could mention that I was in the Battle, and how heroically I fought when she gets up to the table?" he asked, pointing at the sixth year.

Harry smirked. "Sure, Ron, no problem," he replied. The first customer walked up with a box of Weasley's Wildfire Whizbangs.

"I can't believe it! _The Harry Potter_! I'm so honoured. I always supported you, and everyone in my family, everyone at my work, we were always behind you one hundred percent!"

"Oh, really?" Harry said, pleased. "What type of work do you do?"

The man raised his head proudly. "I'm Tristan Grimbold; I'm the editor of the Daily Prophet."

Harry gave a sarcastic smirk. "Yes, I'm sure _everyone_ at the Prophet supported me the whole time." _Just as much as everyone at the Ministry did,_ he thought.

After an hour of signing autographs, Harry and the others started to leave with a few boxes of treats that the Weasley twins had given their benefactor, and their brother, free of charge. Before they were too far away, Fred yelled from the door of the shop.

"'Oi, Ron! Come back here for a few minutes!"

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"Just come here. We have something for you."

"Okay." Ron looked at the others. "Be right back."

As Harry waited outside with Mad-Eye and Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Ginny came running up to them. Hermione had a package in a familiar shape in her arms.

"Harry!" Hermione said as she gave him a friendly hug. "Look what my parents gave me money to buy. It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. Where's Ron? I wanted to show it to him."

Harry looked back at the joke shop, and saw Ron walking towards them with a bright smile on his face.

"Here he comes now," Harry said. "What are you so happy about?"

"Oh, nothing," Ron said happily. "Anyone for ice cream? My treat," he said.

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Are you sure, Ron?" Harry asked, knowing how much money Ron didn't have.

But Ron simply raised his head proudly and mentioned that he was quite sure.

As they continued down the alley, people stopped and thanked Harry for his great deeds at the Ministry of Magic, and giggling girls followed behind him, star-struck. He truly was _The Boy Who Lived _again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Misinterpretation**

Cho's cousins were beside themselves with joy. This would be their first trip to Diagon Alley, or really, to any place with magic, except for Cho's house in Motherwell.

They had just finished drinking their glasses of Butterbeer at the Leaky Cauldron, and were listening to the patrons talk about how just thirty minutes before, _The Harry Potter _himself had passed through the door, on his way to Diagon Alley.

Cho's stomach was churning, and she was having mixed emotions about seeing Harry. On the one hand, she wanted to see him more than anything else in the world, hoping to once again rebuild the connection lost last year, but he had also broken her heart that year, and she was still hurting. She was also sure that he remembered that it was Cho's fault that Marietta had betrayed the DA. Even if she did meet him, what could she say to him? She would be afraid to speak, for fear of saying the wrong thing again. And what if he were with his girlfriend, Hermione Granger? There were so many things that could possibly go wrong, and let's face it, Murphy's Law had been a constant in Cho's life every day since the end of her fifth year. She was trying to go over everything that she wanted to tell Harry in her mind.

_Hello, Harry. I'm really sorry about Marietta, please forgive me. Marietta and I don't talk anymore. Please, take me back." No, she thought, too needy, and so what if she didn't talk to Marietta anymore? The damage had already been done. _

_Harry, are you still giving DA classes this year? I'd love to join. Just me, I mean._ _No, he'd never let you back in after what happened._

_Um, Harry…would you like to go with me to Hogsmeade on the first weekend trip? Oh yes. He'd love that, after their disastrous first date last year. _

_Harry…I really am grateful for what you did at the Ministry last year. I never doubted you, and I'm proud of you for your courage." No, I sound like an annoying fan girl, Cho thought. Oh! Just put him out of your mind for once, Cho. I mean…after all…Diagon Alley is a huge place that's filled with people right now. The chances of running into Harry are about a hundred to one. _

"Hey, Cho. Do you think we'll get to see Harry Potter?" asked Ling.

"**A hundred to one!" **Cho burst out nervously.

"Huh?" Sally stated, taken aback. Cho looked at her cousin's surprised expressions.

"Oh, I…sorry. Um, I think the chances are about a hundred to one. I mean, Diagon Alley is a big place, and there are a lot of people. I think we'll more likely not see him. Sorry," Cho said.

"Oh, come on Cho, if it's an alley, how big can it be?" asked Ling.

_Good question,_ Cho thought.

"Um, yes. Shall we go?" she asked her cousins.

As the trio made their way to the back of the pub, Sally happened to glance back at their table and saw the glasses they had been drinking from dissolve in front of her eyes.

"Wow, wicked," she said to herself. She then continued to follow Cho and Ling to the back door that opened into a small courtyard surrounded by a brick wall.

Cho looked at a piece of parchment she had taken from her pocket, and then took out her wand and tapped it in several places on the wall.

Suddenly, the bricks seemed to fold on one another and a street on the other side was revealed. It was full of people in both normal clothing, and people with robes, cloaks and pointy hats.

Cho turned to her cousins with a smile. "Welcome to Diagon Alley. This way, please." Cho's cousins followed her down the crowded alleyway and listened to people talk about how Harry Potter himself was somewhere in the area.

Everyone was in a festive mood, and the place had never seemed more alive to Cho. She led her cousins to the first shop on their left, Stationers. Cho looked for some parchment, quills, and ink bottles she would need for the school year. Sally and Ling were not too impressed with this store, but Cho knew the owner, Mrs. Pickton, very well, as this was one of her favorite shops in the alley.

After she had finished with her purchases, Cho led her cousins to the cauldron shop. Sally and Ling moved around the store, taking in the diverse types of cauldrons. There were standard black ones, and brass ones with handles, and silver cauldrons that looked very expensive, at twelve gallons a piece.

Ling came up to one black cauldron alone on a table that had a spoon in it, that was stirring by itself. She looked at it in awe.

"One of our best sellers, that is," said an old woman in a velvet green robe, and black witch's hat. "Colman's self stirring cauldron. You don't even need to cast a spell; they've all already been pre-charmed. Just add whatever ingredients you need, and it cooks it to the right temperature in a matter of minutes. And all for only thirty galleons!" the woman finished proudly.

"Awesome! This would be so much cooler than our microwave at home," Ling exclaimed. The woman gave a confused smile.

"Micro what?" she asked Ling.

"Our microwave at home. It's not half as cool as this. How much are seven sickles in pounds?" she asked the woman.

"What's a microwave? And what are pounds?" asked the woman, even more confused.

Ling almost believed that the woman was joking, but remembered that Cho had said that some members of the wizarding world had never seen some Muggle items before.

"Well, a microwave is like a special cauldron for Muggles that cooks, and reheats food. And a pound is the type of Muggle money for the United Kingdom."

"Oh, fascinating," said the woman honestly. "But we don't take Muggle money here, you'll need to go to Gringott's to get your money exchanged," she said politely.

After Cho and her cousins had looked around for a bit longer, they headed to the Apothecary, where witches and wizards bought their potion supplies. Ling and Sally looked around at all the oddities, which included jars of herbs, buzzard feathers and vampire fangs. Cho was showing Ling some of the herbs used in healing mixtures when they heard Sally suddenly scream from another part of the store.

"Ewwww! Disgusting!" she shrieked, horrified. Cho and Ling ran up over to see what was wrong.

"What is it, Sally? What's wrong?" Cho asked, concerned.

"It's horrible, all the sick stuff they have here! Just look at some of these things. Beetle eyes, snake liver, bat dung, and loads of other horrible stuff," Sally exclaimed with a shudder. Cho looked over the shop's wares, not being able to see what the issue was. It was all just standard items for important potions people used every day.

"Well, Sally, you really need all this stuff if you want to make particular potions. For example, spring-vertal potion, which when drank, allows you to jump twice your normal distance, needs to have a healthy supply of Newt tails in it. And beetle eyes are very useful in a lot of healing potions," said Cho.

"Oh, it's just that…well, it's all still kind of disgusting, like when we have to dissect a frog in biology class. Are we getting anything from here?" finished Sally.

"No, not this time. I just thought you and Ling might like to see some of the shops."

Cho and her cousins made their way down to a towering, snowy-white building with burnished bronze doors. Sally and Ling looked up at it, amazed.

"This is Gringott's. It's run entirely by goblins. They were nice enough to give my father a job here. He works as an accountant, and this is where you can get your money exchanged for galleons, sickles, and knuts. I'm not sure what the exchange rate is right now, though."

"Cho, aren't goblins dangerous monsters?" Ling asked.

"Oh, no, Ling, that's trolls you're thinking of. Goblins are magical creatures. Some are good, and some are bad, just like Muggles and wizards," Cho explained patiently.

"Cho, will you exchange our money? I haven't the foggiest idea how to do it," Sally pleaded.

Sighing, Cho took her cousins' money, and stood in the exchange que until it was her turn at the window. A particularly old, angry looking goblin with razor sharp teeth, and pointy ears looked down at her. Cho recognized him as Bolbokie Glute, her father's boss.

"Good day, Miss Chang, and how can I help you?" he asked in sneering Goblin, a language that Cho had learned to a small extent while helping her father during the summers at their home in Motherwell. Mr. Glute was not being impolite; it was just the culture of goblins to be vicious sounding in mannerisms and speech.

Cho responded in broken goblin that she was fine, and needed to exchange Muggle money for wizarding money.

"Miss Chang! Your Goblin is getting worse! Perhaps you should take Goblin as an elective at school this year," Mr. Glute grumbled.

"Oh, sorry, Mr. Glute, but Hogwarts doesn't offer Goblin, and I've got two electives already this year." She continued in Goblin as Mr. Glute strained to understand a few of the words.

"They don't offer Goblin at Hogwarts? I would have thought more of a school with such a prestigious reputation. Tragedy, but at least _you_ know some goblin and that puts you above most of the other people who come in here as far as I'm concerned," he grumbled. "All right, let's see the Muggle money. The exchange rate today is three sickles and two knuts for every one pound note, and one galleon for every ten pounds, two quid," said Mr. Glute.

"Oh my! It's gone up, just since last month," Cho said, surprised as she handed in her own money and her cousins' money.

"Yes, but we're doing very well, and that's all that's important, of course. Normally, it would take you a long while to get it, but seeing as your father has put in a lot of extra work lately, I guess I can have your money brought up to you. Wait here while I have someone fetch it. But don't expect this treatment all the time. I wouldn't want you to get too cocky," Mr. Glute said sternly.

"Thank you sir, I'm very grateful. I'd already run out of wizarding money by the time I left Stationer's. Um, Mr. Glute, do you think that I could go say hi to Dad for just a moment?" Cho asked eagerly in broken Goblin.

Glute gave her a look of disgust. "**No. **Your father has far too much work to do to waste it with an attention seeking little school girl." He sneered again, and turned his back on her and walked away.

Cho knew it was noting personal; she had met too many goblins in her life, and knew that they insulted even their friends. And the Chang family was about as close to friends with some of the higher positioned goblins at Gringott's as a human could get. But she was still disappointed that she wouldn't get to see her father until he took her to King's Cross for her last ride to her school on the Hogwarts Express. When a goblin said no, you didn't ask a second time. And Mr. Glute's offer to have someone bring the money to her was a very kind gesture, coming from a goblin. Her father must be winning a lot of friends over at work.

After collecting the money and handing it back to her cousins with the information on the exchange rates, Cho and her cousins continued down Diagon Alley, window shopping.

Finally, they came to Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 BC. "Oh, Cho! We've got to go into this one!" begged Sally.

"Oh yes, please! It would be the best shop yet! I need to pick out a wand for when I go to Hogwarts. You know, to practice."

Cho smiled. "All right. But Ling, you have to be at least seventeen to use magic at home. And you won't be ready for a wand until you turn eleven."

"Alright, but at least it won't hurt to lo…" Ling stopped as she saw an athletic looking girl with curly brown hair, in blue jeans and a black sweat shirt that said "The Weird Sisters" on it sneaking up behind Cho. When the girl realized that she had caught Ling's eye, she put her finger to her smiling mouth to indicate that Ling should not give her away.

Ling looked back to Cho, and continued, still watching the girl sneaking up behind her. "Well, I was just saying…that …it would be ok…to look…" she stammered, trying to keep her eyes off the girl, so Cho and Sally wouldn't turn around.

"What's wrong, Ling?" Cho asked as her cousin stammered, distracted. An instant before she turned to see what had warranted Ling's attention, an arm reached around her neck and pulled her head down to the person's waist.

"Monkey Shine!" shouted the girl's voice as she took her free hand and proceeded to rub the top of Cho's head with her knuckles in a rough, painful, but playful way.

"Ahhhh, cut it out Beverly!" Cho shrieked in annoyance.

Cho finally broke free of her friend's iron grip. After a few seconds of recovery, Cho rubbed her head. "Why must you always do that? It hurts."

"Oh, come on, Cho. I was just kidding, and you know that's just what I do," Beverly said in a thick Welsh accent. Cho smiled.

"Well, it's really good to see you again!" said Cho as the two of them hugged.

Cho turned to her cousins, who were giggling at her misfortune. "You two, this is my good friend Beverly Jones. She's in my house at school. And she does _this_ all the time," Cho said, pointing to her mussed hair. "Beverly, these are my cousins, Sally and Ling," she finished.

"A pleasure to meet you both. Cho's told me so much about you these last few months. My dad and brothers are Muggles, too," Beverly said with a bright smile.

Sally and Ling both shook Beverly's hand and introduced themselves. After a brief but pleasant conversation about how long Cho and Beverly had known each other, Beverly wanted to know where their next stop would be.

"All right, girls, where to now?" she asked, in high spirits.

"We were just going to look at wands in Ollivander's. Have you ever been in there?" Ling asked.

"Sure, once. Everyone knows that Ollivander's is the only place to buy the best wands. I bought my wand there." Beverly pulled out an eight inch birch wand, and held it up for them all too see.

"Too amazing!" gushed Sally. "Can we see some magic?" she asked pleadingly.

"Of course. Unlike young Cho here, who's going to have to wait until October third, I'm a legal adult, who's not restricted by silly laws like no use of underage magic. Poor dear," Beverly finished, pulling Cho to her to give her a sarcastic pity hug.

"Hmmm. Lets start with something simple. Lumos!" said Beverly as she held up her wand, and a bright light shone from it. "But that's simple really, and I'm sure Cho's father has already showed you two that." she said. Sally and Ling nodded. "Yes. Well, did he ever make a rock into a frog?"

"No, but we'd love to see it," said Ling, as Sally nodded eagerly in agreement.

Beverly bent down and picked up a cobblestone off the street. Holding it in her hand, she aimed her wand at it. Then, she said the correct spell to morph it into a small frog. She showed Cho's impressed cousins, and let the frog go.

"Too bad Harry Potter, or Marietta Edgecombe aren't here, or I could show you two how to make slugs come out of someone's mouth with a really cool jinx I learned in my second year," she said with a mischievous grin.

Cho suddenly got defensive. "Beverly, that's not funny. Haven't you heard? Harry saved us all from You-Know-Who. You should be more respectful," she said quickly.

"I thought you didn't believe the papers, Cho. Only when Potter's put in a good light, I suppose, hmm? Well, I remember what he did to you last year, and I say the papers were right about him the first time. The _Boy Who Lived_ or not, I don't trust him after what he did," Beverly finished with heat.

"Look, Beverly, it was probably my fault. I messed everything up for everyone last year. Even the Quidditch game, because…" Cho moaned.

"Cut it out, Cho! I'm tired of you being so down on yourself. If you were such a bad person, you wouldn't have so many friends supporting you. And I wonder when the papers were right about Potter, last year, or this year. Well, anyway, I'm sorry that he hurt you, but I'm glad he's out of your life. He is a bad person," Beverly finished angrily.

"No, he's not," Cho said. She noticed her cousins' looks of shock, and felt the heat rise to her cheeks.

"Cho, what is she talking about? You said you didn't talk much to Harry Potter last year," Sally said suspiciously.

"Um…well actually, he…um, the thing is…" Cho stammered. Beverly gave Cho a look of disappointment, and turned to address Cho's cousins.

"The thing is that Harry Potter is a pretentious git. He dumped Cho fifteen minutes into her first date to go out with another girl last year, and sent her crying to Nancy Cromwell and I. She would have gone to that wanker, Marietta, but she was busy helping out as a teacher's aide. Anyway, he was treating Cho…"

"**Beverly please…** **damn you've got a big mouth!,****" **Cho said, almost in tears. Beverly relented, seeing her friend in so much pain.

"All right, sorry. I won't talk about it anymore," she said, throwing up her hands.

"Oh, let's just look at the wands. All right?" Cho snarled as she stormed into the shop.

When the others entered, they saw Mr. Ollivander watching Cho as she stood in a corner, with her face to the window.

"Well?" said Mr. Ollivander. Beverly looked at Cho's cousins, and then back at Mr. Ollivander.

"Um, they would like to try some wands, please," Beverly said. She then whispered in Sally's ear. "Look, you two take a look around and I'll talk to Cho for a few minutes. I'm afraid I really upset her. That Potter is a touchy subject with her."

Beverly went up to Cho and attempted to put a comforting arm around her, but Cho brushed it away. Sally and Ling then watched Cho walk out the door, as Beverly followed her.

"And what type of wand would you two be interested in?" Mr. Ollivander asked politely.

Sally thought for a minute.

"Well, Cho said her wand had a Pegasus hair in it, so may we try one of those?" she asked. Ollivander's smile lit up his silvery eyes.

"Ah, a Pegasus hair wand. Now, that is rare. I believe that I've only sold three of them in my career. But I happen to have a few around here somewhere. Let's see now…" He trailed off as he looked for the wands amongst the boxes, and finally found one.

"Ah, here we go. Six inches, Pegasus hair. Give it a try, flick it," he said, handing it to Sally.

Sally waved it around, to no effect, but asked to try a few more.

After the third one, Mr. Ollivander spoke. "Unfortunately, my dear, you may be a Squib. The wands don't seem to be working for you," he said apologetically.

"Oh, no. That's my father. He's a Squib. I just need to find the right wand, so I can use magic and go to Hogwarts, too."

"Ah! I see, your mother is the family member who can use magic," he said, thinking now he understood how this girl who seemed to possess no magic managed to enter Diagon Alley.

"No, our mum's a Muggle dentist. Our brother, cousin, and uncle are the wizards."

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm afraid that some people just can't use magic. The magic has to come from within you, and the wand is just a conductor. At any rate, you look around sixteen, and if you had any magical ability, it would have been discovered long ago. It's too late for you to attend Hogwarts now, as you start the first year at eleven."

"Oh, I see. Your turn, I suppose, Ling," Sally said, disappointed.

Ling took the wand from her sister's hand and waved it around. As she did, the boxes on the wall rattled, and looked as though they were about to fall, but stayed where they were. She tried this with a few other wands with the same result.

"Well, I see that you have some magical ability, but you're not quite ready yet. When you turn eleven, remember we'll be here waiting for you." Mr. Ollivander smiled.

Sally and Ling walked out the door of the wand shop to find Cho crying on Beverly's shoulder as she gave her a comforting hug.

"Are you all right, Cho?" Ling asked.

Cho rubbed her eyes and sniffed.

"Yes, I'm fine. Look, Beverly's going to take you two to the Quidditch shop now. I've got to pick up something at a joke shop for a friend. I'll meet you at the Leaky Cauldron in an hour," she replied quietly.

"But Cho, why don't you take us to the Quidditch shop? I mean you play it. Don't you want to see all the cool stuff in the shop?"

Cho bit her lip, to keep from tearing up again.

"No, I…I don't play anymore. Just please go with Beverly, and I'll meet up with you in an hour. You'll have fun." She gave a smile that everyone could tell was forced.

Cho walked down the alley towards Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Her eyes were starting to dry, and she saw a familiar boy standing in the alley, with circular glasses, messy hair, and a scar the shape of a lightning bolt.

Cho gasped and ducked into a doorway in front of one of the shops. She peered around to make sure she wasn't seeing things. No doubt about it. It was Harry. He was with two people, one of which was the famous Auror, Mad-Eye Moody, and a woman that Cho thought might be Harry's aunt.

_Okay Cho, just relax,_ she said to herself with labored breathing. You've got to do this, just go up and grovel at his feet and beg forgiveness. No! Don't be daft. She shook her head. Um…just go up and say hi. Just go up and apologize for Marietta, and ask him out. Ask him if he wants to have tea. Ask him how he is. Damn, I can't think of anything to say. "Harry I love you!"

She smacked herself in the head. No! Okay, just ask him out for the first Hogsmeade weekend. I mean, the worst he can say is no, right? No, the worst he can do is bite my head off again. Hey, Harry, have you see the Muggle movie "James Bond"? My cousins have it on DVD. No. OK. Enough. You're just going to just go over there and apologize and ask him out. Okay. Here we go.

Cho walked toward Harry, her heart beating rapidly, stomach churning, and legs wobbly. She was getting ever closer to him, but he hadn't caught sight of her yet. Soon, she was only about fifteen feet away. Out of the corner of her eye, someone came running up to Harry and gave him a tight hug. "Hey, Harry! Look what my parents gave me money to buy."

Cho recognized her as Hermione Granger, Harry's girlfriend, at least that's what she thought.

God, I'm stupid, Cho thought as her heart sank, and she ran in the opposite direction before she could hear any more. Of course, he would be here with his girlfriend. Face it Cho, you've lost him forever. What chance have you got against her? She's pretty and smart, and not crying all the time. Why would Harry want you? she said to herself with tears in her eyes. She headed back to the Leaky Cauldron to wait for Beverly and her cousins, and reflect on how much she hated herself.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay everyone, here it is. The chapter where Harry first will meet Cho. I have to sincerely apologize to all of you for the length of this chapter, and can promise you that it's not going to be the template for the rest of the chapters. I'm especially sorry to my beta reader, who will eventually be cleaning up this chapter, and who I owe a lot to! Thanks soooo much Fran! I was just rushing to have Harry meet Cho, and had to give a lot of foreshowing information, and history of some of the characters involved. I'm trying to keep my chapters about six pages long, but this is an important one, as the story goes. It's from two points of view, Cho's and Harry's, really about two chapters crunched into one. If it seems that Marietta gives out info like a bond villain, please know that I wanted to explain in great detail why she was able to attain her new position, through a legal loophole in the system. It's a long read, and maybe not my best chapter, but use it for clues to future chapters. I hope you enjoy!

Kendrew: Sorry about the Paragraphs, but I'll work on em. As of this posting, chapter one thru five has been beta read, and fixed.

Greater Avenger: Thanks! Chapter seven is my favorite so far. Actually that one and six are the only ones I think I did really well on.

xHx: Harry will still be a little cocky in this fic, but remember things are not always what they seem.

Black's Phoenix: Right you are, but, as good a person as Cho is, she does have a habit of jumping to conclusions, and after the Hogsmead fiasco in OOTP who could blame her. But seeing as how Harry and Hermione are always together, and Hermione and Ron still haven't, at least by OOTP professed there love for each other, it's a misconception that any casual observer could make.

J or the blind: No, Harry did not actually see Cho at Diagon Alley. As far as her cousins hounding her about it, well…I'm not exactly sure how, I'm going to pursue that just yet. It's a work in progress.

Summet: Wow! Thanks for that praise. I hope I can continue to keep your interest. I really don't feel worthy. But I've read one story that should be the standard to which all other Harry/Cho fics should be held. If none of you have read it by now, let me recommend: "Follow Your Heart" by author sheen Rox ID: 1552296

Thank you all again for taking the time to read and review my fic, and I can't wait to be done with it, so I can read more fics.

Take care all

Sincerely,

Highice007

**Chapter 10: Maritta's gang**

Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione stood in the Wizarding side of platform nine and three quarters catching up with what was going on over the summer with students that passed them by. The platform was busy and several other groups of students were in huddles discussing the events of the summer holiday as well. Moody was keeping a watchful eye out for danger. Harry was receiving more thank yours from students and parents for defeating You-Know-Who at the Battle of the Ministry. He had to disappoint some that thought as the papers had said that he killed You-Know-Who, but assured them that it was only a matter of time, before he was defeated, just like his Death Eaters were. Harry shook hands, received hugs, and posed for pictures. He was feeling really good. A much better experience than last year, when no one would speak to him, he thought. Colin Creevey and his brother Dennis came up to Harry enthusiastically showing him their Harry Potter T-Shirts and said that they, were going to sell them at Hogwarts, just as soon as they could get the picture of Harry on his broomstick, in his Quidditch uniform, to move like all the rest of the pictures in the Wizarding World. "We would have already bewitched them to move, but were not allowed to use magic at home yet, so we'll do it in the dorms when we get to school!" Colin said proudly. Ron spoke.

"Oh come on guys, I mean Harry doesn't need all that attention that…" Harry cut Ron off in mid sentence.

"No! Ron…I think it's a good idea. After all I do have my fans to think of. Well, you two have been after my autograph for a long time. Would you like me to sign two of the shirts for you?" Harry asked with a smile.

"Really? Right proper!"" Colin and Dennis said in unison, as Ron looked on in shocked confusion. Colin immediately produced a quill, and Harry signed his picture on a few shirts. After Harry had talked to the Creevey brothers for a bit, they left to talk to a few friends a little further down the platform. Harry said goodbye for now and turned to look at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He was taken aback by the look of shock on their faces.

"What?" asked Harry.

"Harry…does Gilroy Lockhart have you under the Imperious curse or something?" Ron asked. "You've always shied away from attention like this. It's never been a big deal to you being who you are. Why the change?" Ron asked concerned.

"What I can't have a fan club? Ron, I spent all last year being an insane git that most of these people thought was going to hurt them. Can you imagine what it feels like to have almost the entire student body try to avoid you like the plague? To be sneered at, and talked about behind your back all year? To have the government and the newspaper say you're a delusional freak all the time? I've tried to be a normal student all this time, to just blend in, and have fun and graduate. But I can't. I'm not normal, and I'm constantly having to battle You-Know-Who, and his Death Eaters. And I have a choice to let the ministry call me a psycho, or get them to make me a hero. Well I chose hero because I think I've earned it, and nothing in my life can ever be normal. Remember in our fourth year when everyone was wearing Potter Stinks buttons? And now they wear T-shirts with My face on them? And now they bring up T-shirts for me to sign. Why shouldn't I be famous? I've been shucking off my birthright for several years, and now I'm going to use it. No one believed my story last year; they all thought I was mad. Well this year things are going to be different. This year the whole school is going to support me, and not just a handful of DA members. I think I deserve a happy year at Hogwarts." Harry boasted.

"Of coarse you do Harry, and you have so many accomplishments to be proud of. We were just caught off guard. I mean, you've never sought fame before. But your right, after last year I understand what you mean." Hermione said.

"Yea, you deserve a bit of a break in life after all you've been through." Ron added.

"Well…I've never tried to enjoy my fame before. This year I'm going to have a go at it." Harry said plainly.

"Good for You Harry" Ginny put in.

Pavati Patil and her sister Padma came up to greet her four fellow Gryffindors'. "Hello Hermione, hello all, what's new?" Pavati said.

"Okay, we got to visit the Muggle areas of London, and our dad in the ministry. He says the new Minister is a git, who hates the fact that to many muggle borne people are in important positions. Dad says he can't wait until the next elections, when he'll be out on his arse. Dad says that the only reason Fudge picked him was to get the support of some of the purebloods who have a problem with Muggle borne people in the Ministry. He says that there an important voting block. But no one ever imagined that he would actually become Minister like that." Ron stated.

"Yea, Fudge's suicide came as a shock to everyone, but I guess you can't blame him, his credibility was ruined after Dumbledore produced the Death Eaters captured at the Ministry. Oh! And thanks so much Harry for defeating them all." Parvati smiled, and shook his hand.

"Hey, you know, we were there too. We defeated You-Know-Who's Death Eaters as well. Fought just as hard as Harry." Ron said, as he indicated Himself, Hermione, and Ginny, lightly irritated.

"I know it was in all the papers how Harry saved you all, after you were overwhelmed by the Death Eaters in the end, but it was brave of you to attempt to fight them." She recounted the story in the papers. Harry noticed that Ron had an angry look on his face.

"Actually Parvati, I didn't really rescue anyone. We all fought the Death Eaters together. Ron took care of a few him self. None of us were ever hostages to them. I'm going to talk with Rita Skeeter to give a more accurate account of what happened soon. But just know that we were all heroes that day." Harry finished proudly.

"Really? Well congratulations Ron and you two as well." She said turning to Hermione and Ginny.

"Yes, your very brave Ron, you're my hero." Padma suddenly spoke and gave him a peck on the cheek, and a flirtatious smile that turned his frown into a smile and made him blush red.

"Err…um thanks Padma "he said as he fidgeted around nervously.

"How was your holiday?" Hermione asked of the Patil twins.

"Really great, we went on Holliday in India, to see, some of our family there. My Aunt Ekta has a broom shop there, the best in New Deli. They even have the new Comet 350's. And we found out that the Taj Mahal was designed after India's Wizarding School. But the magic school is much bigger of coarse." said Padma.

"Oh, did you hear the awful news about Iris Foxmead?" Parvati said in tragic excitement. "She was killed by a vampire attack in Dover. They found her stone dead, and drained of blood."

"Right, I've been following that. She's a seventh year Hufflepuff prefect. Err…at least she was, but I don't think I ever met her. Just saw her in the great hall a couple of times." Harry mentioned.

"I read it in the Daily Profit too. Poor Iris, she was really smart, we talked last year in the prefect's carriage on the way to school and back. What a horrible way to die."

"Wow, I really thought it was safe. I mean with vampire attacks being so rare. I mean there's really no need for them to do this anymore now that they own and operate so many blood banks" entered Ginny.

"Well they are asking everyone in the vampire and magic community if they have any information." Hermione added.

"Five minutes everyone, five minutes to boarding." The porters started to yell.

"Oh! We'd better get going." Hermione exclaimed. The group boarded the train together and Hermione and Ron headed off to the prefects carriage, after telling Harry and Ginny that they would see them later. The Patil twins said that they were going to visit one of there cousins in another carriage.

"Harry and Ginny eventually found Neville Longbottom in one of the last cars, and sat down with him.

"Hello Neville How was your holiday?" said Harry.

"Great!" said Neville with excessive excitement. "After my grandmother found out about my part in the Battle of the Ministry, she bought me a new wand and broom. She didn't even care that I broke my father's wand. She said that she had never been more proud of me. I also got a letter from my favorite teacher, Professor Sprout, telling me how proud she was of me, and that she hopes I take Herbology again as an elective, so she can thank me in person." Neville finished happily. Neville pulled out an oak eight inch wand with black coils around the end to show both of his friends. "It's got a dragon scale in it. A Norwegian Ridgeback! And that's not all; my broom is a nimbus two-thousand. See?" Neville said as he pointed to the black handled broom propped up against the corner of the carriage.

Harry and Ginny put up their trunks and other gear, and Harry put Hedwig in her cage on the floor. Harry turned to Neville.

"Well that's great Neville, and by the way, I never got to thank you properly for your help in the battle. I'm really glad you were there that day. Thanks, both of you." he said turning to Ginny.

"Anytime," she said, smiling.

"I'm glad I could help capture some Death Eaters. My parents would be proud if only they could know." Neville said a little sad. His parents had been Auroras in the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's secret force created to fight the Dark Lord Voldermort. Many years ago Neville's parents, had been attacked by a particularly horrid servant of Voldermort named Bellatrix Lestrange, who put the crucio curse on them until they had been driven insane. Neville visited them every summer in St. Mungoes, but they never really knew he was there. They never really new anything, anymore.

"How…have you been to see your parents this summer." asked Harry.

"Of coarse, their the same, but I went to visit them three times this summer at St. Mungoes. I saw Cho Chang there the first time I went." Neville finished.

"Oh and how is she?" asked Ginny, after Harry seemed not to care about what Neville had said.

"Well, we really didn't talk. I just saw her crying, and being comforted by a man I thought was her father. I didn't think she was up to a chat, and neither was I really." He said.

"Humm…that sounds like Cho Chang alright, always with the tears." Harry said casually.

"And you didn't find out why she was there?" Ginny asked concerned.

"I think she was visiting her mum, but she must have gotten better because I asked the Healer that I had seen her dad talking to once, and she said that they had left. Of coarse she couldn't say more than that. You know, Healer patient privilege and all. Harry and Ginny nodded there understanding.

"Well, I'm glad that it was nothing serious if they went home." Harry said.

The door to the carriage opened and a petite pretty blond-haired girl with green eyes walked in with her stemmer trunk and broom in hands, and a chameleon lizard on her shoulder.

"I'll get that for you." said Neville, as he got up to help her put her stemmer trunk in the overhead bin.

"Thanks. All the carriages are full up. I couldn't even sit by my sweetheart this trip." she said, as she sat down beside Neville. Ginny looked at the beautiful lizard on her shoulder. It had two bulging eyes, and what looked like a shark's dorsal fin on its head. A sharp looking spine ran down the back of it's green, yellow, and brown colored body.

"Cool lizard! What's its name?" asked Ginny.

"It's shadow, and I'm Gloria Kingston." She said extending her hand to everyone respectively.

"It's good to meet you Gloria, I'm Ginny Weasley, this is Neville Longbottom, and this is Harry Potter. Gloria's face was pleasant until she heard Harry's name.

Snort "Oh Potter, yes I see now. I should have noticed you from your pictures, and the scar. It was at the snort that Gloria made, that Harry and Ginny realized something about her that they had overlooked. She was wearing a green and silver tie, and upon closer inspection they also noticed that her chameleon's tail was covering up a silver snake set against a green crest.

"You're in Slytheren!" said Harry surprised.

"That's right. Best house in Hogwarts." Gloria said with a large amount of pride. She looked at the crest on the robes of her fellow students. "And your all Gryffindors, sorry about you losing the house and Quidditch cups this year." She said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" asked Neville a bit confused.

"Well we Slythern's plan to stop your winning streak this year, and put the two cups back in Slytheren where they belong. And of coarse silver and green are much better colors to decorate the great hall with." She smiled as she closed her eyes to picture the image of Slytheren banners lining the ceiling.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but Gryffindor is going to win the house cup this year. We always win since I came to Hogwarts." Harry said with a pride matching that of Gloria's.

"Were going to win the Quidditch cup as well." injected Neville.

"Well, we'll have to see about that." Gloria replied coolly.

"I for one can't wait to get back on the Quidditch Pitch again, grabbing the snitch and…" Ginny was cut off by Harry.

"You're not going to be seeker this year." Harry said in a serious tone.

"Wh…why not?" Ginny asked.

"Because I'm going to be Gryffindor seeker…and team Captain. I already sent in my request to Professor McGonagall last month." Harry beamed.

"And got the reply?" asked Ginny.

"Yes. Professor McGonagall was aware of my natural leadership ability, and with Umbridge out of the way, things are back to normal. But don't worry Ginny; I'll make sure you and Ron are on the team. You can be a chaser." Harry said happily.

"That's great! Congratulations Harry." said Ginny very happy for him.

"Yea, great job Harry!" Neville put in.

"Well don't celebrate too soon. Everyone knows that Slytheren has the best seeker in Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy." Gloria said.

"Ha! Yea I wonder how he's going to concentrate when I'm teasing him during the match, about his dad being in Azkaban." said Harry with a mischievous grin.

"His father is not in Azkaban with the Death Eaters. Luscious Malfoy is a great upstanding citizen, who's being kept in a cell at the Ministry until it's proven that he was under the Imperious curse, and therefore innocent." Gloria countered.

"Rubbish! I was there. He was acting of his own free will. I was there. I saw. He and Draco are happy that You-Know-Who has returned." Harry said angry and turning red. Gloria just gave him a dirty look. "Draco!" jumped Harry. "That reminds me I forgot. I'll be right back." He said quickly, as he headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Neville.

"Oh. I just remembered I had something I had to do." Harry finished. Just as he got to the door, it opened, and Ron and Hermione stepped in.

"Hi Harry, we…" Ron started, but was cut off.

"Oh Ron…Hermione, hey listen…wait right here for me, will you! I'll be back soon." Harry said urgently.

"But Harry where…" Hermione started.

"Be back soon guys! Uh, get to know Gloria. Neville will introduce you."

"But, we have something to tell you, Harry, you'll never guess who Head girl is this…"

"Just please wait right here please." Harry said, as he ducked out the door and into the next carriage. Ron and Hermione both looked at each other and gave a shrug. Then they turned to the other occupants of the carriage.

"Hi! I'm Gloria." said a blond haired girl with a lizard on her shoulder.

"Hi!" They both said in unison.

Harry made his way through the carriages of the train shaking the hands of several students, who congratulated him for his victory at the ministry, as he went. As he was making his way through the fifth carriage he realized his shoe was untied and stopped, to correct the problem. The pause allowed him to overhear a conversation between the only three occupants in the hall of the carriage, three girls whose backs were to him, and who were not yet aware of his presence.

"Imagine that stupid bitch and her friends pulling wands on us. How dare they! What a collection of useless gits, a mudblood, a retard, and a chink! I've never been so offended in my life." The first girl said in a fit of rage.

"Don't worry, we'll get even with them soon enough! But what's a chink Marietta?" The second girl asked.

"It's a derogatory term used by muggles to insult ethnically Chinese people. Quite witty, actually." The first girl said.

"But Marietta, ethnicity has never mattered in the Wizarding World. We only care about the purity of a person's magical lineage." The third girl put in. Her voice sounded familiar to Harry.

"I know that. But it still seemed to hurt her feelings, and that's what I was going for. Besides, we'll soon have her on our side, if all goes according to plan." The first girl Marietta added in.

"Where did you learn a muggle insult like that anyway?" asked the second girl.

"_He _told me. He's been living among them causing chaos in there society, for generations. It's what his kind always did. Rather ingenious ways of doing it too. And there's more than that. I've learned a lot of other muggle insults from him too really hurt people who are different. Even if the insults don't mean anything too me, it's still going to be fun to watch them cry. But that's nothing compared to what I've been learning in the dark books I've been reading. I have ways of getting even with them all that will insure that we never get caught. This is going to be our best year at Hogwarts ever." Marietta finished. Harry's nose started to twitch and he suddenly let out a sneeze.

"**Ah-choo!" **he sneezed loudly. The three girls turned to face him in surprise. They were all holding folders against their bodies with bright pink leaflets sticking out of them. He recognized the two of the girl's faces, Marietta Edgencombe, and Pansy Parkinson, who had lost a considerable amount of weight over the summer. The third girl he didn't know, but she looked as unhappy to see him as Pansy Parkinson. But Marietta smiled at him, and walked over.

"Being nosy Potter?" she asked casually. "We will talk soon enough _mudblood_, but for now I think you need to pretend that you didn't hear any of this conversation. I think you need to reflect on a different memory. Here let me help you to forget." She said with a shake of her head as she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Harry. Harry reached for his own wand just seconds too late, as he heard Marietta utter that word that Gilroy Lockhart made famous to him. "Obliviate!" Harry was blinded by a bright flash from Marietta's wand.

**_Meanwhile during the same space of time:_**

Cho Chang and Beverly Jones both stood on the train station platform with their respective fathers. As the two men engaged in a conversation about the Muggle economy, Cho and Beverly were busy chatting with several other students, catching up on the events of each others summer holiday. Everyone they met talked about trips they had taken, friends they had hung out with, and shopping they had done, but the primary subjects of the day were about two things. The first was that _The Harry Potter_ would be returning to Hogwarts, and the second was that Iris Foxmead, who was to be a seventh year Hufflepuff prefect, was killed in a vampire attack. Nancy Cromwell and Jeremy Stretton a couple of Ravenclaw seventh year students came up to the two of them. Nancy was wearing her long blond hair in a ponytail, and a crimson red t-shirt, with the Union Jack printed on it, and kaki shorts, with green flip flops. Cold weather never seemed to bother her, and she had earned the playful nickname "Eskimo" from a lot of students because of her style of light dress even in freezing temperatures.

The four students exchanged greetings. "Hey Cho, is it really true? Are you really not going out for Quidditch this year?" Jeremy asked.

"Um, yea, I uh…lost interest in it. I really was never that good in the fist place. Um, I know you will do great this year. But I'm so far behind on my school work that I've got to spend anytime I've got in class catching up on that. Cho said caught off guard, and looking for an excuse to explain why she didn't stay with the team, was because she believed herself to be the worst Quidditch player in History.

"Well sorry to hear that. But you actually were a great player. "Looks like we'll have to find a new seeker." Jeremy said.

"Who's team Captain this year?" Cho asked.

"I am. And I've got a lot of new strategies that I've been mapping out all summer to win the cup this year." He said proudly. "By the way, Roger Davies sent me an Owl; he says he's training to be an Auror. He's been in training for three weeks, and it takes twelve." Jeremy continued.

"That's great, I know that Roger will do well, he always was a natural leader." Cho said.

"Yea, I'm happy for him too. I know he'll do well." Beverly stated. Nancy gave Jeremy a kiss on the cheek.

"Baby, lets try and find an empty compartment." She whispered in Jeremy's ear, with a flirtatious smile, as she stroked his hair lovingly. He blushed.

"Err…well we'll see you two in class, we want to get good seats. Something a little private." He said with a mischievous grin. Cho and Beverly giggled as the two left.

"Well, we'd better find a carriage too before they all fill up, and we can't sit together. Beverly said.

"Okay, but I need to say goodbye to dad in private. I'll be right back." Cho said apologetically.

"No problem, me too, we'll meet by the third car." Beverly replied.

Cho and her father moved by a metal column away from the other people on the platform. "Dad, I need you to send me an owl everyday to tell me how mum is. I still feel guilty about leaving her." Cho said somberly.

"Don't worry Cho; she's going to be alright. She's in the best care in the world. The Doctor says that we won't know if they got all the cancer until they run some more test. But I have a good feeling about it, and I'll let you know as soon as I find out. I'll keep you posted every week. Just concentrate on your school work, and bring your marks up." Cho felt guilty, her grades were very poor last year, and she was really going to have to put in some extra effort this year to graduate. She had neglected to take summer makeup classes to be with her mum, so she wasn't going to have a lot of free time to herself this year. Oh well she thought, at least I know what I'll be doing instead of Quidditch practice.

"Before you go I have something for you." Mr. Chang said pulling out a small gold hexagon box the size of, a matchbox. Cho looked at it. It had several Chinese element characters carved on it and a gold chain necklace attached to it. The top had two Chinese water dragons carved on it, and it opened to reveal an empty compartment. "It's called "ài rén rú jǐ-bì hù", you understand? "Love protection." A special magical item that's been in our family for generations. Our ancestors used it for protection against Mongol wizards in ancient wars, to protect themselves. If the papers are right, and You-Know-Who is still out there, I want you to keep this to protect yourself. It will keep you safe when you are in the most danger. It can only be used once by each person who uses it, and I already used it long ago." Mr. Chang said in a very serious, but concerned tone.

"But dad…we should give this to mum, if it protects people, than maybe…" Cho started.

"It doesn't work on what your mum has Cho. And she's safe from You-Know-Who. If he's back he's not after the Muggle world." Mr. Chang said. Cho opened the top of the box, and looked in it. It appeared to be empty.

"Is there supposed to be something in here?" she asked curious. Mr. Chang smiled.

"There is much in there, but you can't see it, it will only reveal itself when you are in great danger. I hope you will never have to use it, and you probably won't, but just incase it's nice to have. Keep it close to your heart Cho." He finished as he placed it around her neck. Cho turned around, and pulled up her hair, so her father could hook the two ends of the necklace together. She then faced him again.

"Daddy, please tell everyone I'll miss them, and thanks again for everything they've done for us. I'll send you all an owl when I'm settled in. I love you daddy!" Cho finished, as she hugged her father tightly, with a tear in her eye.

Mr. Chang gave her a tight squeeze. "I love you too Cho, and don't worry, things are going to get a lot better. I know it. Now hurry along, Beverly is waiting for you."

Cho and Beverly found a carriage with two available seats after a brief search. As luck would have it, Luna Lovegood was the only other occupant of the carriage, and Cho was overjoyed to see her.

"**Luna!" **Cho shouted with glee, and gave her a hug that squeezed the breath out of her. "How have you been? How was your holiday to Norway?" Luna smiled, "Hey Cho, hello Beverly, how are you guys?" she said returning Cho's hug and exchanging a less oxygen draing one with Beverly. Then Luna sat back down, and pulled out a copy of the Quibbler, and showed it to Beverly and Cho, pointing to a picture on the front of Luna and her dad against a snowy background. The picture appeared to be blurred. The two of them were moving off to one side of the picture, and both would point to an empty patch of ground in the snow every so often with excitement.

"There you see! An actual Crumple-Horned Snorack. I told you we'd gotten one. But we'll be lucky enough to see it live in Care of Magical Creatures class. It was a lot of work bringing him down. Dad and I had to use several stunning spells a piece on him, but we finally got old Blizzard to sleep. Blizzard, that what were calling him." Beverly examined the picture.

"Um, Luna I actually don't see anything but you and your father in the picture. And I thought that Crumple-Horned Snoracks weren't real. Is it out of camera shot?" Beverly asked.

"No. Its right there Luna said pointing to an empty blurry space on the picture. It's invisible." Luna said.

"Oh…ye…yes I see it Luna, Cho said. It, uh…looks…cool." Cho said embarrassed for her friend but not wanting to hurt her feelings. Beverly looked at Cho, in disbelief.

"Oh come on…I…**Ouch!"** Beverly was interrupted by a sharp pain from Cho kicking her in the leg and giving her a play along with it look. Beverly turned her attention to the picture again.

"Oh yes! I…I see it now. Very cool Luna. Congratulations." Beverly patted her on the back.

"Thanks!" Luna said pleased. Beverly opened the door of the compartment.

"Well if you two will excuse me for a minute, I've got to be off to the lavatory. Be right back." She said as she walked out the door on her way to the carriage that held the lavatories everyone had jokingly dubbed the "honey-wagon"

My friend Bridgett should be here soon. She's a second year Hufflepuff. We met in the DA class. Cho, is Harry having them again this year?" Luna asked.

"I…don't know…I… we haven't talked. I well haven't seen him yet." Cho said sadly. Luna looked confused (I mean more so than usual. ;) )

"Haven't talked yet? That's odd I asked Ron Weasley to have him write you." Luna said casually. Cho's face turned to one of excessive embarrassment.

"Oh, Luna, I wish you hadn't have done that. I…" The door slid open interrupting Cho, and Marietta Edgencombe stormed in flanked by Danielle Forester and Pansy Parkinson on her left and right sides, holding folders in on hand and wands in the other. Marietta started screaming at Cho without hesitation as her mates gave mischievous grins.

"**You stupid, mudblood loving, chinc bitch! How dare yousend me a howler! This is what comes from hanging out with the likes of those slime you call your friends. You have lost respect for the people who you need to be hanging around. The pure people. Now you're just acting like a pretentious little git! Well rest assured _Chang_, soon you'll be begging me to take you back into my circle of friends, and you'll be lucky if I don't make you grovel after your little stunt. You know eventually Mudbloods like Potter, and Jones are going to be out of this school, and out of the Ministry. A lot of positions are going to open up at the Ministry. If you want me to get you a job, you'd better start kissing my arse now to show your regret!**" She screamed, her face flushed red with anger. Marietta suddenly changed her tone to almost a whisper. "Or maybe I should transfigure your head into a mushroom to give you a taste of what happens to people who mess with me." She finished waving her wand about as Pansy and Danielle giggled behind her. Cho and Luna pulled out their wands ready to protect themselves from the trio, and for the first time Marietta noticed Luna. "Hey I know you! You're that stupid little girl whose father runs that joke of a magazine. The Quizler." Marietta said with a slight aire of disapproval.

"The Quibbler" Luna corrected her.

"Yea, like I care." Marietta said casually. Marietta looked Luna over, and turned to Cho. "You know Cho…I really have to say, sometimes even when you befriend purebloods, their still not the _right_ kind of people."

"Well you're absolutely right about that Marietta; after all I made the mistake of befriending you." Cho said with a look of anger on her face. Cho heard the door open behind Marietta and her gang.

Marietta's face became even redder with anger, and she and her cohorts pointed their wands at Cho and Luna.

"Cute Chang…real cute. But its three to two, you're a chinc, and your friends retarded. So it looks like I will be putting the mushroom head jinx on you today." She said as her friends let out a vicious laughs. Suddenly Marietta was grabbed around the neck from behind, and had a wand stuck against her head.

"Actually it's more like three to three, Cho's Scottish-Chinese, Luna's very bright, and you three are the only retards in this compartment. Now I agree with one thing you said though. I myself am curious to see the effects of the mushroom head jinx, as well. So please, fuck head. Give me an excuse." Beverly Jones said as she held her wand at Marietta's temple.

"Stay out of this Jones. It's…nnn…none of your business. It's nothing to…d…d…do with you." Marietta replied nervously as Danielle, and Pansy continued pointing their wands at Cho and Luna not sure what to do.

"When you mess with my friends it has everything to do with me. Now…shall we see the mushroom head jinx, or are you going to tell your fiends to put up their wands. Either way works for me, but I'm really keen to give the jinx a go." Beverly said happily. Marietta hesitated for a moment." Okay you asked for it! Fungu…"

"**Okay! Stop! Stop!"** Marietta screamed. She strained to look over at her two companions through the head lock she was in. P…p…put your wands away guys. Danielle and Pansy put there wands back in their robes disappointed, and Marietta did the same to the wand she still clutched in her hand. Beverly released her from the head lock, and gave her a sarcastic smile. "Too bad really, well anytime you change your mind about letting me try the mushroom head jinx just let me know. I'm ready anytime you want to start something."

Marietta gave her a dirty look but dared not say anything out of genuine fear.

Cho peered at Marietta angrily, and noticed the silver badge on Marietta's sweater for the first time. It was the Hogwart's crest with the words "Head Girl" across the front. "Hey what's this then? You're not Head Girl. You're not even a prefect. Jill Tanaka is our seventh year prefect."

"No you stupid chinc. **I** am _head girl_! Jill Tanaka has dropped out do to the git getting pregnant over summer holiday. They needed to chose a new seventh year Ravenclaw prefect over the summer and **I** got the letter. Since it became official before they selected head girl, and I had higher marks than any other seventh year, had more electives to my credit, and worked tirelessly for Professor Umbridge as an aide, _I…was…selected…Head Girl._" Marietta said in a condescending tone.

"But that's impossible. You were with me all the time last year. You wouldn't have had time to work for Umbridge." Cho said accusingly.

"Noooooo. I was with you half the time last year, the part of your time that you spent with the right people, and regretfully all those times we had to spend in the stupid DA classes. But all the times you went to spend with people like _her_, I was working for Professor Umbridge." She said pointing at Beverly Jones at the people like her part of the statement.

"But…you were…a spy for Umbridge all along? You planed the whole thing with the DA?" Cho said in shock. Marietta put her hand on her head and gave Cho a look of sincere pity.

"No you stupid chinc, I…" Marietta was interrupted.

"**Stop calling me that!"** Cho cried. Beverly stuck the wand to Marietta's head.

"I'm fascinated by your story, but if you insult my friend one more time, _you'll regret it_. Now continue, but respectfully." Beverly said in a cautioning tone. Marietta gave her a dirty look, but pressed on.

"_You_ invited _me_ to the DA class, or I wouldn't have known about them. You knew I hated Potter, but you tried to change my mind about him. I went with you because we were friends, but I hated every minute I was there. I didn't tell Umbridge at first so I wouldn't get you in trouble. I still had hopes of persuading you to go against him. It seems we both failed in our efforts to convince each other to see eye to eye. But when I realized that you would not change I had to make sacrifices for the good of society. So I told Umbridge, and his little clandestine meetings were broken up, at the expense of my summer, and a lot of physical pain. My attempt was to get Potter expelled. With him even more a villain than the papers portrayed it would be safe for the Ministry to put in more teachers like Professor Umbridge. The right kind of teachers."

"Sooo…how does that make you head girl? Umbridge was chased out of here. Dumbledore would never allow someone like you to be the Head Girl." Cho said confused as to where Marietta was going with this.

"It's simple really. As I was of great help to Professor Umbridge, I got her recommendation, and high marks. Flitwick had to give me points for my service to her weather he liked it or not, because it was in service to _the legal authority of the school_. Now you also know that when it comes to studying, I'm the hardest working student in the school, with all the electives, and extra credit work I do. So I had the highest marks of any prefect. And finally there is Dumbledore himself. He…despite his questionable actions at the Ministry of Magic last year, is a fair man and puts a lot of stock in following the rules. That means not picking whoever he wants as head girl. So they had to choose me. _I_ was the most qualified." Marietta finished with a great aire of posh.

"So why are ya spilling your guts to us now?" Cho asked slack jawed. Marietta gave her an evil look that seemed to send a chill up Cho's spine.

"To know the answer to that, look at the people in this room that you oppose. Head Girl, a Slytheren Prefect, and their best friend. If you three get out of line this year, we will be watching, and believe me, we will make your life difficult. _I_ told you the story because _I_ don't want you to have any doubt about how difficult _I_ can make it for all of you Cho. Furthermore let me just say…" Beverly cut her off.

"Alright, shut up! Your really boring me with your narcissistic tale now. Get out the lot of you, before I make it _really_ difficult on all of you. _Gits_!" Beverly said with a yawn. Marietta left followed by her gang to the pleasure of everyone in the compartment.

After a while of talking amongst them-selves about how Marietta was a stupid git, and things they did over the summer, Cho excused herself to go to the lavatory. When she made it to the door of the lavatory car, the door opened and Harry Potter staggered through in a daze. Cho's heart skipped a beat. "Oh! Uh…Harry. Harry I…how are you?" she choked out. Harry looked at her in a daze.

"I forgot where I was going." He said shaking his head in confusion. "Where is Draco?"

"Who?" Cho asked not understanding his behavior.

"Draco Malfoy. The Slytheren prefect. I…I was looking for him…I…" his knees almost buckled. Cho held Harry to steady him.

"Harry, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Cho asked concerned.

"Cho? Cho Chang?" Harry said still dizzy.

"Yes Harry it's me. Come and sit down in my carriage. I'll get you some water." She said calmly.

"You, you brought M…Mar…Marietta to my DA class. You got the cla…cla…class broken up. It's all your fault. You…" he said slightly enraged, but still to dizzy to be yelling.

"Harry…I…I'm sorry about Marietta. I want to take it back. Please forgive me. If I had known she would…I would have never brought her to the class. I'm so sorry." Cho pleaded in tears.

"You betrayed me…I…I remember, _your_ fault. Harry stammered. "Get away from me!" He started angry.

"But Harry please, let me help you! You need…" Cho begged.

"**I said leave! Just…leave!" **Harry screamed angrily. Cho's face was streaming with tears. She tried to speak but no words came out, and her throat hurt severely. She ran off to the lavatory to cry in private. She would be in there for most of the remainder of the trip. "Harry sat on the ground by the door. "I…I remember." He said to himself. Not sure why he remembered it with such rage, not sure why he just yelled at Cho Chang, and not sure why he was sitting in the hall of the carriage. All he could remember was leaving his friends in the last carriage of the train, and that it was all Cho's fault that the DA was broken up. Odd that he should meet her, when he was thinking so hard on the subject he thought.


	11. Chapter 11

Hello all, here is my latest chapter. Not sure how to describe it, but I hope you will enjoy and as always constructive criticisms and complements are very gratefully appreciated. I'm a bit worried that this one drags on a bit, but I'll let you decide. Oh and in chapter ten I accidentally wrote that Vampires were rare, I actually meant that Vampire attacks were rare. I'll fix that.

xHx: Thanks for getting that memory charm thing. I was worried that not everyone would that I may not have been clear enough about it. But I guess I didn't do as bad as I thought. Sorry I haven't had more time to say hi on the Katie Leung boards on IMDB. But I've been crazy busy. :( And yes, Merritta is quite the racist. Gotta have someone in the fic that you love to hate. And there's no one I hate more. ;)

Summet: Thanks again for the high praise. I'm glad you like the story. I'm going to have a hard time ending this by February; I hope I can have it done by then!

Harrison Potter: Marietta's pretty quick on the draw with those memory charms, and making people remember things in a certain emotion. Her gang is actually going to be bigger than just Danielle and Pansy, but these are the ringleaders of the click.

**Chapter 11: The Thirty Consequences of a Bad Intention **

After a while, Harry regained his wits, and strength. He didn't know what had happened to him between his carriage and the one upon whose floor, he now sat, but he remembered where he was on his way to. Harry pulled himself up and proceeded towards the prefect's carriage at the front of the train. He had hoped that he wouldn't need to burst in on all the prefects in doing what he was about to do, but he would if necessary. But as luck would have it he would not have to, as he saw Draco Malfoy, flanked by his friends Crab, and Golye, walking towards him from the opposite end of the hall of the carriage. There was only one other student besides Draco, his mates and Harry in the hall. Harry pulled out his wand as he approached the trio. The three of them all caught site of Harry at once. Draco's face became twisted with rage.

"**Hey Potter…"** Draco started, but was cut off as Harry pointed his wand at the three of them.

"**Stupefy! Expelliarmus! Stupefy!" **Harry yelled as Crab and Golye fell to the floor with two loud thuds, and Draco's wand ripped from his robes, and fell to the ground. **"Accio wand" **Harry continued as Draco's wand flew into his other hand. Harry approached a shocked Draco and held both wands to his head. The other occupant of the train stumbled over Crabs unconscious body to get out of the carriage, and away from the chaos. "_Now Draco_, You and I are going to have a little talk that we should have had long ago. Every year we've attended school, I've had to constantly deal with constant harassments by you three, from the train ride to school to the train ride back. Now I know this year that you're going to feel more motivated to do it than ever because I put your fathers in jail, but rest assured if I get any flack from you three, I will _make you all pay! _Now…I don't want to start any trouble, I want to have a nice school year for a change. You should want that for yourself too. So I'll make a deal. You three stay out of my way, and…I'll stay out of yours. What I mean by that is no taunts off the Quidditch Pitch, no buttons that say anything like Potter Stinks, and no harassing me in general. Because Prefect or not! I'm really stressed out right now, and I may not be responsible for my own actions. _Do you understand me?_" Harry said with as much calm as he could muster.

"You look here Potter…if you think you're going to tell me what to do, think again! I'm not afraid of you, and if you attack students without provocation you'll be suspended, or even expelled! And as you pointed out _I am a prefect_, and you're going to be reported for this!" Draco said defiantly, but sweating from having two wands pointed at his head.

"Trust me Draco; I think you'll find a lot of people very unsympathetic to the sons of Death Eaters." I think you're going to be surprised where some of my support comes from this year, and at how little support _you _will have. And that's exactly the situation you're facing, the son of a Death Eater, against, _The boy who lived_. Now I did _this_ so that I have your undivided attention." Harry said pointed at an unconscious Crab, and Golye. "I meant what I said. I don't want any trouble from you this year. If you leave me alone, I'll leave you alone. I'm not looking for a fight, and I'm not looking to hurt anyone. But I swear, if you push me, I'm going to push back." Harry said. "Now, I'm going to deny any of this ever took place. And I'm going to pretend that you and I never met. I suggest that you do the same. Do you understand?" Harry finished.

Draco gave Harry a dirty look, but took a minute to take in what he had said. "You may be big man on campus now Potter, but I remember last year when you didn't have such a fan base. I'll get even with you in time. And I'll catch you in the act sooner or later, with more witnesses. Sooner or later you're going to screw-up and, _Boy Who Lived_ or not, I'll remember this moment. I'll let you go for now, but only because I want my father to see you get expelled from this school. And_ he_ will be out again soon Potter.

"Ha! Your father is a Death Eater, and soon he'll be in Azkaban with the rest of Voldermort's lackeys. Just as soon as…" Harry was cut off by Draco.

"My father was under the imperious curse. He was arrested after Dumbledore filled the Minister of Magic with lies. There are hoards of people clamoring for my father to be released. They all are well aware of my father's most charitable contributions to noble _and popular_ causes in the wizarding world. He and I have a lot of support still left in the right places." Draco looked Potter over. _"Boy Who Lived." _He said with a sneer. "You know I'm going to dance on your grave after the Dark Lord gets done with you! Has your scar been hurting?" Harry enraged pressed the two wands harder against Malfoy's profusely sweating head.

"You're very confident for someone with two wands pointed at their head Malfoy. I know your also working for the Dark Lord too. Like father like…"

"**What's going on here?"** An angry looking dark haired, dark skinned boy shouted, wand held at the ready, in his hand. It was Ernie Mac Millan, a sixth year Hufflepuff. Harry noticed the boy who had been in the hall earlier was with him.

"Oh…nothing. Malfoy and I were just having a little chat." Harry said indifferently.

"Really? That's not what I hear Potter. Chapman here tells me you came in and attacked Draco, and his friends here." He said pointing to Crab and Golye, who were just getting up from there stupor.

"Well…uh, why are you concerned?" Harry asked trying to think of a way out of the spot he was in.

"I'm the sixth year prefect for Hufflepuff. And you're in a lot of trouble Potter." He said with a stone face.

"Since you know me, and you seem know Draco, then you must know that his father, as well as Crab, and Golye's, are all Death Eaters! Draco and his wankers are also likely working for the Dark Lord." Harry said in a serious tone. I'm just giving them a warning to keep out of mischief." Harry finished. Mac Millan didn't look impressed.

"Look Potter, this is the United Kingdom, and here a person is innocent until proven guilty, and we don't have guilt by association. Now take your wands away from Malfoy's head. I'm going to take thirty points from your house for this, and I'm very disappointed in you, someone with such a prestigious reputation. I hope that you will learn from this that you can't just go around starting trouble when it pleases you." He said with a grim face.

"Oh come on, Malfoy harasses me every year on this trip. I was just giving him a taste of his own medicine. Why don't you give me a break Mac Millan?" Harry complained.

"_If,_ I had seen Malfoy harass you, I would be taking points from his house. Look Potter, I am giving you a break. I could recommend detention, but seeing as how you acted with such courage at the Ministry last year, well, I think Malfoy and I can over look this." Mac Millan said.

"Speak for yourself Mac Millan, now that I know I have witnesses, I'm going to have potter expelled." Draco said with a wide smile across his face.

"Don't be silly Malfoy, who's going to expel _The Harry Potter_? Look he acted a bit rash, but considering that he saved the entire wizarding world, I think we can drop this here with an apology. Harry it would be best if you apologized to Malfoy, and his mates, so we can all put this behind us." Mac Millan said in an authoritive tone. Harry hesitated, he had just lost his house thirty points, and now he had to apologize to Malfoy? His rash judgment had cost him. Harry only wanted to get Malfoy to lay off him for the year, but he had gone about it the wrong way. Malfoy leered at him.

"That's right Potter, beg my forgiveness so we can all put this behind us. And you can grovel on you're…"

"**There's no need for that Malfoy!** A simple I'm sorry, and it will not happen again will suffice." Mac Millan shot at Malfoy. Malfoy gave Mac Millan a dirty look, but said nothing. Harry looked at Malfoy and his friends and gave a begrudging apology to them, as they smirked at his capitulation. "Oh and Potter…give Malfoy back his wand." Mac Millan said. Harry begrudgingly handed back the wand to Malfoy as Malfoy sneered at him.

"Look guys I need to talk to Potter alone if you don't mind. Come on Potter we need to talk." Mac Millan said, and they moved to the hall of the next carriage. When Mac Millan saw that their was no one else left in the hall, he again spoke. "Look Potter, I know there is a lot of bad blood between you and Malfoy, but whatever he says to you, just ignore him, his father is in jail, and he's going through a tough time right now. Now I know that he's going to taunt you this year, like he does every year, if that happens you can come to me and I'll take care of it, but you can't go around picking fights, just because you feel like it. Do you understand me?" Mac Millan asked.

Harry looked at him appreciatively, and nodded. "Yea, I…thanks Mac Millan. I just thought I'd make it clear to him that I don't want any trouble this year. I just want to have a good year." Harry said.

"Well Harry, I don't think that blasting people with wands is any way of conveying to them that you don't want trouble." Mac Millan finished.

Harry smiled. "Yea, I guess your right. Sorry."

"Just take it easy Potter. You'll have a good school year yet." Mac Millan said. The two of them shook hands and went there separate ways.

Harry headed back to his carriage in the back of the train. "How stupid!" he chastised himself. A brief moment of satisfaction had cost Gryffindor thirty points and the train was not even to school yet. Harry solemnly vowed to himself not to act so rash again. Ernie Mac Millan was right. It was he who went looking for a fight. He couldn't make the excuse of Malfoy giving him a hard time because; Harry hadn't given him a chance to. Furthermore Mac Millan was also right about just ignoring Malfoy and his friends, as clearly Harry was in a better position socially than any of them. The children of Death Eaters were not going to be to popular this year. Harry knew he should have realized that Malfoy and his mates were going to have too many of their own problems to deal with him this year. No…this time Harry had been in the wrong, he thought to himself. "I had sought out Malfoy with every **intention **of causing a row. Of coarse Harry wouldn't have hurt him anymore than giving him a minor jinx, like a slug curse, but still he shouldn't have gone looking for trouble. "Why did I do that?" He asked himself as he continued to walk through the carriages. "Because he's been at me since I first started school. Because his father is a Death Eater. Because he's also probably working for Voldermort, and will probably act as a spy for him while he's at Hogwarts. But Ernie Mac Millan was right. Harry had no proof of their intentions, and with out proof nothing else mattered.

Harry entered the carriage to find a very impatient Ron and Hermione waiting with Neville, Ginny, and Gloria.

"**Where have _you_ been?"** Hermione shouted. "We've been waiting here for an hour. Were prefects, and we have duties to attend to you know. But you asked us to wait, and we have. I didn't know you were going to be so long." she finished. Harry put his head down, and avoided their gaze.

"I uh…Well I met with Malfoy and his gang…and lost thirty points for Gryffindor, sorry." Harry said ashamed. Ron was furious and started.

"**What that arse! **He can't just go around taking points from people because it pleases him. I'll complain to Dumbledore. Malfoy will be sorry he ever…"

"Uh actually Ron, it was Ernie Mac Millan that took the points from me, and I…it was actually my fault. I went looking for Malfoy, zapped Crab and Golye with stupefy, took Malfoy's wand from him, and threatened him. Harry stated even more ashamed. Hermione put her hands over her mouth.

"But why Harry!" she asked. Harry looked at Hermione with a grim face.

"I…just wanted him to leave me alone this year. I just wanted him to back off me for once. I wasn't really going to hurt him; I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't going to put up with his crap this year. Anyway someone saw me attack them and told Mac Millan. He caught me in the act of threatening Malfoy, so he took ten points off for that, and ten for zapping Crab and Golye with stupefy. Look, I really am sorry guys, I was a dick. I went looking for trouble, and it cost Gryffindor thirty points. I promise it will not happen again, and I'll get the points back." Harry finished feeling really bummed out. Everyone was silent for a moment as they took in what Harry was telling them. It was Gloria Kingston that suddenly broke the silence with a thundering condemnation of Harry.

"You should be ashamed of yourself Harry Potter! Attacking poor Malfoy, and his friends like that. And after his fathers been falsely imprisoned for being a Death Eater. We Slytherins may not usually associate with anyone other than the people in our house, but at least we don't go around blasting our wands at people whenever it pleases us. You know I actually do associate with Muggle borne people, and try to convince my fellow House mates that your _not all_ that bad, but then someone like _you_ comes along, and starts making all muggle-bornes look bad in their eyes." Gloria said in a fit of rage.

"Look, I said I'm sorry. It was a mistake, and I won't go looking for trouble again. But Malfoy's dad is a Death Eater, and I think Malfoy is a spy for You-Know-Who as well. Malfoy's dad only contributed to all those charities to make himself look good. If he gets let out by claiming the imperious curse again, then it will be a great miscarriage of justice." Harry complained. Gloria just gave Harry a "Humph!" and a dirty look, and then turned away to ignore him. Hermione was also displeased.

"Harry, I'm very disappointed in you. You should have a little more sympathy for Malfoy with his Dad being in jail. I don't like him much either, but there's no excuse to just pull wands on him. But I'm glad you learned your lesson, although I'm sorry it cost our house thirty points." Hermione lectured him.

"Well we have to go to our duties now Harry. Don't worry; we'll have some fun with Malfoy and his lot with the goodies that Fred and George gave us. Ron smiled.

"Ron! Don't encourage in bad behavior. You're a prefect for crying out loud. You're supposed to be an example to others. And we don't need any more points taken off." Hermione said. Sudden she felt the train start to slow. "Oh, were getting close to Hogwarts. Okay Harry, Neville, Ginny, Gloria; See you all in the great hall. Harry sat down exhausted from the stress of what had happened, and repeated his vow to himself to not look for trouble anymore. He was going to be a lot more civil from now on. And he wasn't going to let Malfoy get to him this year, he thought as the train pulled to a stop.

**_Authors note:_** "Don't worry. I'm not trying to make Harry into an ass. I promise. I know it may look like that, but I'm a big HP fan. See you next chapter." :D


	12. Chapter 12

This chapter had to be put up. I know it's not very good, and I haven't given up trying to write a good story, but I needed to talk about the students' arrival to the great hall, and I wanted to put Dumbledore in. Look at this story as filler, until I finish a better chapter that will come out next. And I promises the next one will be loads better. Really:) Back to the style that interested you guys in the first place. But really, I had to do this, and I'm really sorry.:(

Black's Phoenix: Thanks again for letting me know about the correction on the last chapter.

**Chapter 12: Addressing the students.**

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville said goodbye to Ginny as she went down to the rear of the Hogwart's train platform to ride to the school with some friends of hers in the same year as she was. Gloria Kingston had stormed out of their compartment as soon as she had collected her broom, and steamer trunk, glad to be away from Harry and his fellow Gryffindors. Harry looked on as the coaches arrived to carry the students to the castle that was their school. Suddenly a small boy near Harry let out a horrifying shout and started pointing to the carriages and screaming that they were being pulled by monsters. Harry went over to him, bent down and put a hand on his shoulder. "Those are not monsters. Their Thestrals. They pull the coaches every year, but you can only see them if you've seen someone die. Didn't you learn about them in care of magical creatures last year?" Harry asked.

"No! This is my first year at Hogwarts. I didn't know about them." The little boy said, a little more calm, but still apprehensive.

"Well who did you see die?" Harry asked. The boy looked up at him. I saw a man crossing the street get hit by a bus last year."

"That will do it. Well don't worry about the Thestrals. Their very amazing creatures. You might learn about them in care of Magical Creatures class. Suddenly Harry and his friends heard a familiar voice yell "First years this way!" And Harry excused himself from the boy to greet a missed friend.

"**Hagrid!" **"The trio yelled in unison. The gentle half giant smiled at them with a big toothy grin.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione, How are ya all." Hagrid stated joyful, as the three of them gave him a group hug.

"Okay. How have you been? What have you been doing?" Harry asked. Hagrid leaned in low, and whispered.

"I've been doing secret stuff fer you-know-what, so we can defeat You-Know-Who, before he does you-know-what to the magic world. But we'll have to talk about that later. I want the three of you to have tea with me your next Saturday. We'll have some things to discuss. Hagrid raised a bandaged finger to his lips to let Harry and company know that he could not say anything more. Harry noticed that in fact both of Hagrid's hands were bandaged up.

"Hagrid what happened to your hands? Were you hurt on a mission for the You-Know-What?" Harry inquired. Hagrid held up his hands to look at it.

"Oh that, no. Just a bit of frostbite. Madam Pomfrey will fix it up soon enough. I just haven't had time to go to 'er about it yet. But she's got some potion that will fix it right up, keeps it on hand for me for whenever I come in with it." Hagrid said.

"Madam Pomfrey keeps an anti-frost bite potion on hand for when you come in? How often could you come in with frostbite?" Ron inquired.

"Oh a lot lately. I'll explain later. But if you'll all excuse me, I've got ta get these first years across the lake." Hagrid finished, and excused himself to take care of the first year students.

On the trip to the castle Ron and Hermione explained what had happened in the prefect carriage to Harry in great detail. He could hardly believe his ears, but took in every word of it. He listened intently to their story, in silence. After awhile Harry finally spoke.

"I can't believe it! Marietta Edgencombe? Head Girl? How?" Harry asked not believing his ears.

"I told you, she became a prefect at the start of the summer last year, before they chose Head Girl. Apparently the female, Ravenclaw prefect in her year wasn't returning to school this year for some reason. I don't exactly know why she was chosen as Head Girl, but being a prefect before the selection certainly qualified her to be in the running. I didn't talk to her, just walked into the prefect carriage, and saw that the jinx had been removed from her face, and she was wearing the Head Girl badge. Ron and I were in to much shock to say anything, and when she saw me, she just gave me a look of deep hatred and stormed off. I asked Bill Hailey, the male, seventh year Ravenclaw prefect what the deal was, and he informed me what had happened. Oh! Also Allen Miller is the Head Boy. He's in Slytheren. Harry reflected on this new dilemma. Great, he thought. Malfoy was a prefect, and now another Slytheren was Head boy, and the girl who had betrayed his DA classes last year was Head Girl. Why would Dumbledore let people like this ever get positions of such authority in the student body? Was it a plot to make his life miserable?

"Well…I'm sure that Marietta won't be a problem. She's just a stupid git who's probably going to stay far away from us, and will likely be afraid that if she comes close to us that Hermione will give her another jinx. But Malfoy and Miller are another problem. Surly they will be looking for an excuse to deduct as many points as possible from us. Oh! Who chooses Head Girl and Head Boy anyway guys?" Harry reflected. Ron just shrugged his shoulders at the question. But Hermione was as usual, ready with an answer.

"Well Harry. According to Hogwarts: A History, Head Boy and Head Girl are chosen by the Masters of the school, based on several criteria. The criteria are Good conduct, extra curricular activities, extra credit, recommendations submitted by staff, points won for their house and most important of course, the student's marks. The staff's recommendations are submitted to the Head Master, and he makes the final decision."

"Hogwarts: A History has a section on how the staff decides Head Boy and Head Girl?" Ron asked surprised.

"Of course. Really Ron you two should try reading the book some day. I'm writing my own book about it to give credit to the house elves that are so neglected in it. But aside from it's biased to magical creatures, Hogwarts: A History is very informative." Hermione finished happily.

"You're writing a book? An actual book that you intend to put into print? Harry asked impressed.

"Well, yea. I'm just doing some ruff drafts for now, but over the Christmas Holliday, and next summer I plan to finish it and talk to a publisher."

"Wow. That's really impressive Hermione. Is that what you're going to do after school…become a writer?" Ron asked. Hermione seemed pleased by Ron's interest.

"No. That's just something on the side. I plan to take the S.P.E.W. out of Hogwarts and into the mainstream, magic world. People need to know about the plight of House Elves, and other magical creatures. That's going to be my main job." Hermione said.

Harry and his mates sat in the great hall awaiting the speech from the Head Master, Dumbledore, who had not yet arrived. The sorting hat, ceremony had already been completed, and everyone was chatting about the new members of each table. The staff was also chatting amongst themselves, and Harry noticed a couple of new teachers amongst them, as well as the two divinization teachers, Professor Trelawney, who co shared the Divinization class with Professor Firenze, a centaur. One of the new teachers was a man who looked to be in his fifties, who was wearing a lime green wizard robe with hood, and yellow crescent moon designs printed on it, wearing large glasses, and a wide smile, who was chatting it up with professor Sprout, who seemed very interested in, and very confused by what the man was saying. Another new face belonged to a serious looking woman who looked to be in her seventies, wearing a black robe, and green velvet witches hat, and oval glasses. She had a stone faced look not displaying any emotion, and Harry thought he saw her look at him a few times.

The door behind the staff opened and Professor Dumbledore stepped out. Harry was not glad to see him. Dumbledore had kept him in the dark about everything that was going on around him, and it had driven Harry mad to not have any news about what was going on in the order. He had also managed to again convince Ron's parents, and the other order members to keep vital information from him. Harry was tired of being left in the dark, and he wanted answers. Dumbledore owed him answers. Harry wasn't going to be rash, or full of rage, like on the train, when he would try to get Dumbledore to speak with him in private, but he was going to make it clear to him that he was owed an explanation, and he didn't appreciate Dumbledore keeping things from him. The conversations of the students stopped as Dumbledore, came up to the podium to speak.

"My dear students. Welcome to another glorious year at Hogwarts School, and welcome to our new students this year. I'm sure your going to enjoy your first year with us. I would like to just say what a wondrous privilege it is to have such a wonderful rewarding job, as I do. There is nothing more satisfying to me than being able to mold young minds, and help the young people of today set their sights on the bright futures that lay ahead. I know that since last year their has been some bad news about You-Know-Who returning, supported by his Death Eaters. But I can tell you happily that most of the Death Eaters were captured at the Battle of the Ministry, thanks, in no small part to some of your fellow students. Most notably, Mr. Neville Longbottom… stand up Mr. Longbottom" Dumbledore paused to allow the cheering of the students to die down, as everyone clapped and cheered at his name being called, as Neville, embarrassed bowed his head to everyone. "Also present were Mr. Ron Weasley…" Dumbledore continued. Ron stood up, and looked at everyone equally embarrassed at the applause, and his face turned crimson red when Luna Lovegood and Padma Patel both blew him kisses from the Ravenclaw table. "Miss Hermione Granger…" Hermione stood up and curtsied to the crowd, and several cheers, shouts and whistles, came from all the tables, mostly from the boys. "Miss Luna Lovegood…come on now Miss Lovegood, don't be shy." Luna stood up hesitantly, and smiled at everyone, and Harry noticed Cho Chang give her a congratulatory hug. Didn't I see Cho on the train? Harry thought to himself. He couldn't remember exactly. "And last, but certainly not least…Mr. Harry Potter." Dumbledore finished. The crowd went wild with a huge roar from almost all the students, except for a few people at the Slytheren and Ravenclaw tables. But he noticed that Cho Chang was clapping for him very enthusiastically, but not making direct eye contact with him. A tear looked like it was forming in the corner of her eye. Harry started to remember that he had yelled at her on the train, because she had brought her friend Marietta Edgencombe to his DA classes, and Marietta had betrayed the DA, and almost gotten him expelled. Why did he do that he wondered? He had done that last year to Cho when she had tried to apologize to him for Marietta, and also yelled at Ron and Hermione when they had tried to apologize to him for other things when he arrived at Grimald Place. Harry was getting several pats on the back and the cheering lasted for a while. Oh well, I'll apologize to Cho later for the whole thing on the train. I'm over it now. I just wish I could remember _why _I was suddenly so mad at her.

When the cheering finally died down Professor Dumbledore continued. "Although the You-Know-Who has lost a lot of his minions, he is still out there, and I hope that the third years and above will take great caution when visiting Hogsmead this year. The Ministry has a few Auras stationed there, and we don't expect him to be there, but it would be better if everyone kept on alert. _Constant vigilance_ as my friend Alastor Moody would say. I would also like to say that we have a few additions to our staff this year, and we are honored to welcome them, and I know that they will be a great asset to our school. First is Professor Mike Jittlov from Hollywood, in the United States, who will be in charge of the Special Effects magic class. He has shown me some of his work, and I will allow a few field trips to Hogwarts for the students not in his class to view it, as I'm afraid that his electronic equipment will not work here at the castle. But believe me your going to be impressed. Professor Jittlov, would you like to say a few words to the students who will be attending your class?" Dumbledore finished. The man in the lime green wizard robe with the hood stood up and gave a bow. Professor Jittlov smiled even wider, and adjusted his green rimed glasses.

"I would just like to say that I think were going to have a lot of fun in my class, and were going to learn a lot about muggle magic, and putting it all on film. I look forward to having many of you in my class this year." Professor Jittlov said in a pleasant voice. He than sat back down, as the rims of his glassed flashed neon green. Dumbledore than turned to the old witch with the green velvet robe. And also I would like to introduce Professor Timina Penfield, who will be teaching Potions class this year." Dumbledore stated and invited her to give a short speech of her own. A felling of great dread came over Harry as he looked over at Professor Snape who was listening to Professor Penfield talk about what an honor it was to be at Hogwarts, and how she had given up her job in the ministry of Magic to become a teacher. Ron leaned over to Harry and asked him a question.

"Hey Harry, who do ya thinks teaching Defense Against Dark Arts this year?" Harry didn't take his eyes off Snape.

"I've got a bad feeling that with our luck it'll be Snape." Ron nodded his head. Yea that would be our luck." He admitted. Dumbledore shook Professor Penfield's hand as she left the podium and thanked her for the speech. Suddenly his face became grim and his voice became very serious.

"And now I need to bring to everyone's attention some very tragic news. I'm sure many of you have heard that one of our students will not be returning to Hogwarts this year. Iris Foxmead, who was a Hufflepuff prefect, was tragically killed over the summer out side her home in Dover, in a vampire attack. Miss Foxmead was a very hard working, very intelligent young girl, who showed a lot of promise before her tragic, untimely death. She was respected by students and masters alike, and we shall all greatly miss her. Let us all bow our heads, and have a moment of silence for her memory." Dumbledore finished. After a brief silence Dumbledore reminded the students who were interested in Charms Club, that Professor Flitwick would be having the first meeting, and sign up on Saturday at eleven PM sharp. He than gave the ever famous warning that the Dark Forest outside the school was off limits to students.

"Oh! One more thing, Mr. Filch asks me to remind students that his office is off limits to anyone who does not wish to die a most horrible death." Dumbledore stated. "Well, all the news finished. Again welcome back to Hogwarts, and now let the feast begin." He finished.

The tables filled up with large helpings of multiple varieties of food, and drink. And as Harry took the first bite of his steak, and kidney pudding he happened to catch Cho looking at him. When she realized he had seen her, she quickly glanced away and started talking to a curly brown haired girl next to her. Did she still have feelings for him? Did he have any feelings left for her? Well maybe if she wouldn't cry all the time. No he thought, Cho Chang, did not support him in the end last year. She chose her friend instead. Besides he thought… Cho was bits of an emotional wreak, and who wants sobbing wet kisses when he had girls clamoring for him. Harry turned his attention to the Slytheren table and eventually spied Fiona, sitting near the end closet to the exit. I wonder what she's doing for the first Hogsmead, weekend he thought.


	13. Chapter 13

Hello everyone, this is a much better chapter than the last one. I think that all of you will like it much better. Please let me know, and thanks again for reading.

Summet: Thanks a million. I'm glad you enjoyed, and I hope you enjoy this one. I wanted to be finished with this story, but the hours I work haven't allowed me to do as much as I like these days. But I'm very grateful for the support. Thanks again. Oh! And chapter eight was just resubmitted, as it's now been beta read.

**Chapter 13: Summer Visitors**

Harry was half way through his meal when a dark skinned, black haired, Hufflepuff boy came up to him. "Hey Potter, is it true that your team Captain for Gryffindor this year?" Harry nodded his head, and smiled as he swallowed a mouthful of steak. The boy smiled back and extended his hand to Harry. "I'm Emit Walsh, the new Hufflepuff team Captain. I was wondering if I could talk you into a practice match on Friday afternoon. Just so our respective teams can get some good training in. This will be my first year as team Captain too." Emit said with a genuine smile. Harry motioned him to have a seat.

"I think that that would be great Walsh. I didn't get to play last year, and Quidditch was the thing I was looking forward to the most. I think a friendly game would be great! Just let me know what time you want to reserve the field for and, I'll have my team there." Harry smiled. Walsh looked pleased.

"Perfect Harry, I think I'll try to get it set for around five thirty on Friday. We probably won't have too much homework thrown on us the first week. So I think that everyone will be steady fresh for a practice game. But take it easy on us, as this will be the first year of playing Quidditch for four members of my team. Most of our team last year were seventh years, and it's left me without a lot of experienced players." Walsh said concerned about the less experienced members of his team. Harry patted him on the back.

"No problem Walsh. It's only a practice game, and I'm really into Quidditch for the love of the game. I'm sure well all have fun on Friday. And congratulations on getting team Captain." Harry said in a friendly manner. He and Walsh talked for a while, about last years events, and Walsh would look over Harry's shoulder every once in a while. The conversation eventually drifted to the politics of the wizarding world, and the new Minister of Magic's, view of Muggleborn, and half blood persons. Walsh entered his own opinion.

"Yea, his views are a little extreme. Not anything close to You-Know-Who's views of course. Not that we have to worry about him after he had to deal with you though. More likely he's off licking his wounds, after losing almost all his Death Eaters, alone and afraid of _The Harry Potter_. Harry waved off the complements.

"Oh thanks, but it wasn't just me. I had help from friends." Harry said.

"But I think you half bloods are an Okay lot. Not that I'm not proud to be a pureblood. Believe me; I'm proud that I can trace my magical lineage all the way back to the great Hausa Wizards of Nigeria. But that's not the only thing that's important, and I have some good Muggleborn, and half blood friends. Hell, half my team is made up of people with some Muggle lineage. But I don't think that anything will change, with the new Minister. Truth is, he's probably just saying that stuff because he's trying to appeal to the pureblood separatist community. Seems that their population has been growing over the years. Not specifically in the UK, but around the world in general. I even heard that in Germany some groups are giving out medals to the pureblood women who have eight or more children. Can you believe it? Medals for shagging." Walsh said as if it were the silliest thing he had ever heard of. Harry remembered something about women having baby's of pureblood somewhere in Muggle history, from when he attended Muggle School at age ten, but he couldn't quite remember what he had learned about it. Then Walsh asked Harry a question that seemed to come out of the blue. "Hey Potter, do you have a pet mouse in your pocket?" He asked sincerely.

"Uh…no. Why do you ask?" Harry said. Walsh looked past Harry again.

"Well it's just that Filches cat, Mrs. Norris has been watching you for the past fifteen minutes now. I thought it was either you had a pet mouse you were keeping in your pocket, or Mr. Norris was taking a keen interest in politics these days." Walsh chuckled. Harry turned to see Mrs. Norris glaring at him with sinister, yellow eyes. Harry was agitated. "Shoo, go way. Were not breaking any rules. Beat it you useless fur ball." Harry said. Mrs. Norris then casually strolled away after the two of them fell silent. Harry then turned back to Walsh. "I hate that cat. Always spying for Filch. It's like the two of them have a mental connection, where they can read each others thoughts. Walsh nodded his head in agreement.

"Yea, tell me about it. One time in my third year, some friends and I were sneaking out of our house to go meet up with a few girls from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and Mrs. Norris Spotted us. She never went back to Filch, but stayed with us leering at us with those sinister yellow eyes the whole time. We tried to shoo her away, but had to be quite about it. Eventually we heard Filch moving around and ducked into a class room, and hid under desk, and in cupboards, and one guy even went back to the hall to hide behind one of the suites of armor in the halls. Well Mrs. Norris went to Filch, and showed him where each of us were hiding. Got four detentions each that day. Filch kept going on, and on about how he longed for the days when students were tied up and beaten for such infractions. God I don't remember mum or dad saying anything about torcher when they talk about their time at Hogwarts. How old is Filch." Walsh finished. Harry shrugged.

"Bout a hundred I'd wager." Harry joked. Walsh looked at his watch.

"Oh bugger, I've got to get with my team now, and let them know about Friday. Well it's been great chatting with you Potter. See you Friday." He said as he shook Harry's hand again.

"It was great to meet you Walsh. I look forward to the game." Harry said in good sprits

Harry gave another look over at the Ravenclaw table. Cho Chang was staring at the Gryffindor table, with a worried look on her face, and was fidgeting around looking like she was trying to decide to come over to the table or not. The strange thing was that she was not looking at Him. He looked at the same place that Cho was where two people sat. Cho was staring at either Ron, or Hermione or both. The two of them were in deep conversation, and sitting close together, and so it was hard to determine which one. But it was Hermione that jinxed Cho's friend last year. Was Cho getting ready to tell Hermione off? No. I can't imagine she would just jump at Hermione like that. Harry's train of thought was interrupted by a greeting from his favorite ghost at Hogwarts.

"Hello Harry. How was your summer holiday?" came the voice of Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor House. Harry turned to him.

"Sir Nicolas. It's good to see you again. My summer was…uh…okay. Harry lied. "Um…how was yours?" Harry asked with genuine interest. Sir Nicolas gave him a look of disappointment.

"Oh you know how it is. Another year, another rejection of my request to join the headless hunt. Other than that I've been reading a few of books. Hard work as it takes a ghost many hours of concentration to turn a page. You know books being physical objects and all. Except for the Gray Lady. She's been reading books for years, and never has a problem holding them. But they seem to be the only physical object that she can hold. She tried to explain to me a few times how she did it, but it was a bit to over my head. So I'm learning at my own pace. Anyway, Peeves has been giving Filch hell ever since he had his that Ravenclaw girl come into his office, in mid summer, and poltergeist and ghost proof it with a spell. Peeves was so upset that he couldn't get into Filch's office that he's been wrecking the rest of the castle. I told him to calm down because even Dumbledore was getting upset with all the mischief. But ever since Filch and his brother brought that crate into his office, Peeves has been mad to see what's in it. He actually…"

"Woah, wait! Back up a second. Filch has a brother?" Harry asked surprised. Sir Nicolas nodded his head.

"Yes, a twin brother. The Bloody Barron saw the two of them hauling something in a large wooden crate from one of the coaches to his office. That was the same day the Ravenclaw girl came and bewitched the office to not let poltergeist and ghost through. They were all in deep discussion, and were very secretive. I've never seen Filch so agitated, but he also seemed to be afraid of something. He's been a nervous wreak since that crate arrived." Sir Nicolas finished. Harry was excessively curious now, and Sir Nicolas had his undivided attention.

"Why, what's in the crate?" He asked. Sir Nicolas gave a shrug. No idea, I told you that Peeves said that the office was made ghost and poltergeist proof. But the three of them were in there for the better part of three days, with the girl and Filche's brother casting spells constantly throughout the night. Eire lights could be seen flickering from under the door at night. Anyway on the third day the Ravenclaw girl left, by broom, and…well we never actually saw Filche's brother leave. But he must have. I mean…why would anyone stay in such a place for so long with nothing to do. Sir Nicholas finished.

"Well trust me I'd love to stay at Hogwart's during the summer. Believe me, I could find things to do, with the run of an entire castle, and surrounding grounds to keep me entertained. I…" Harry was cut off by Sir Nicholas.

"Oh, no Harry. I mean he never left Filche's office. Or at least none of us ghost ever saw him leave. And Peeves' has stationed himself outside that door almost twenty-four hours a day since they poltergeist and ghost proofed it. Perhaps he could have left when Peeves was trashing another part of the castle out of frustration. But you'd think that one of us would have seen him leave the grounds, either by broom, or coach, or some other means. I mean there is not really a lot to do here in the summer, and it gets really boring. So anything unusual that happens is prime entertainment for us ghost. We went out of our way to pass by that office more than once, and never saw him after he went into that room. For a moment I thought that maybe he apparated, but I know that you can't do that at Hogwarts. I guess he left while we were sleeping. Harry took in everything that Sir Nicholas had said with great fascination. He thought about it for a minute before he spoke.

"I understand that Peeves tried to get in there and found out that it was poltergeist proof, but how did he know it was ghost proof?" Harry asked. Sir Nicholas gave an embarrassed look.

"Well…I might have tried to take a peak in the office myself. Like I said not much goes on here during summers, in the way of entertainment. We all tried to peek in at one point or another. But the walls, floor, and roof of Filch's office are just as solid to any of us, as any wall is to you." Sir Nicholas finished. What an intriguing story, Harry thought.

"Wow, that's a bizarre story Sir Nicholas. Did anything else happen with Filch that was weird like that?" Harry asked hanging on Sir Nicholas's every word. Sir Nick thought for a second, and scratched his head.

"Only that Filch seemed to have odd conversations with his brother and the Ravenclaw girl. The only time that they seemed to leave the office was to eat in the great hall, or go to lavatory. They would talk in whispers and Filche's brother seemed to be giving him orders during their meals, and not catching up on family business. They would always stop talking whenever any of us ghost would float close by. The most unusual thing was that the girl seemed to be giving him orders too. To both of them, as if she was a Professor or something." Sir Nick said.

"Wow, did anyone overhear anything that they were saying?" Harry asked hoping that one of them were able to sneak close to Filch, and his friends. Sir Nicholas looked disappointed.

"No, the only thing that any of us ever heard was that he was worried about the effect that something would have on Mrs. Norris, and that He would tell Dumbledore that he had bought a new cat if anyone asked." Nothing relevant to the goings on in his office, as he must have bought the new cat after his brother and the girl left." Sir Nick finished. Harry was still trying to take in the odd tale.

"Well didn't Dumbledore ask Filch what he was up to?" Harry said.

"No. Almost all the staff was on holiday. The only ones here were Filch, us ghost, and the house elves. In fact Dumbledore only just arrived last night." Sin Nick finished. He looked at the grandfather clock in the great hall. "Oh Harry, would you excuse me. I have to go see the Fat Fryer about his Death-Day Party arrangements this month. I'll see you around. Take care." Nick floated off.

"Take care Sir Nicholas. Thanks for sharing the story with me." Harry said grateful. Suddenly he remembered a question he had forgotten to ask. "Oh Sir Nick. Just one more question. Who was the Ravenclaw girl that filch was talking to?" Harry asked. Nick thought for a second, but after a few minutes still had a blank look on his face.

"You know Harry, I completely forgot. I'll ask the Gray Lady later, she'll know who it was." He said, and floated away past several students who were starting to exit the great hall.

Harry walked up to Ron and asked if he was ready to go up to the dorms. Ron nodded and got up from the table to follow Harry. Ron then turned to Hermione, who was in a deep conversation with Katie Bell, a seventh year Gryffindor Chaser.

"Oi, Hermione, are you coming?" Ron asked.

"You go ahead; I'll be with you guys later." She said. Harry looked back when they got to the main door and saw Cho Chang speaking to Hermione with a worried expression still on her face. Hermione looked very surprised at whatever Cho was saying to her, but after a minute they shook hands and Cho returned to the Ravenclaw table. Hermione gave Cho a look of gratitude as she walked away.

"I'll have to ask what all that was about later." Said Harry.

"What?" said Ron. Harry just shrugged and gave a sigh.

"Nothing Ron…just thinking out loud." Harry said, and then motioned for Ron to lead the way to the Gryffindor dorms.


	14. Chapter 14

Black's Phoenix: Well from here we go to two chapters with Cho and her friends and enemies, to set up more tension with her new arch enemy, Marietta, but stay tuned, because I'm going to have Cho pick up on some clues as well.

xHx: Thanks sooo much for explaining about UK currency. Whenever I use it in the story, I'll have a reference now.

**Chapter 14: Getting Luna's back.**

His eyes were the color of jade, and they had a sparkle about them that glinted like diamonds. His hair had a shiny black sheen, and his soft skin a beautiful flesh-tone. She looked over every part of his face, from the scar on his head to his cute pointy nose.

"Well?" Nancy asked.

His circular glasses gave him a look of gentleness, and his smile gave her a warm feeling inside that could keep her comfortable through the coldest winter. But it wasn't just his looks. He had always had a presents about him that had an effect like a Vela on Cho. She was never able to say the things around him that she wanted to, and never able to stop the nervous feeling of butterflies in her stomach when she was around him.

"Cho?" Nancy said a little agitated at being ignored.

What she wouldn't give to be Hermione Granger she thought. To be beautiful to him, to look like what he wanted. To have a sense of humor like her and to be everything he liked in a girl…"

"**CHO!" **Nancy shouted. Cho barely heard the shout that could be heard across the Ravenclaw table.

"Huh? I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked coming out of her stupor. Nancy gave a look of annoyance. "

"I asked you three times what electives you were taking this year. What are you staring at anyway?" Nancy said curious.

"Well, I…nothing…" Cho stammered. Nancy and Beverly were both sitting across from Cho and they looked over her shoulder to the Gryffindor table.

"Oh god. She's staring at Potter. Give it up Cho, he's not interested. And neither should you be. He's not worth your time." Beverly complained.

"Oh, are you still interested in Potter Cho?" Nancy asked interested. "Even after what he did to you last year?" She looked Harry over. "He's okay for looks I guess. I think it's cool that he's such a superstar now, but I prefer the more solid muscular types myself. But still…if I didn't already have a boyfriend I might give him a good shag. How about you Cho?" Nancy finished.

"**Nancy!"** Cho shouted with a look of embarrassment on her face. Nancy gave a big toothy grin.

"Oh come on Cho. Tell me you've never thought about him _giving you one_. You were probably thinking about it right now." Nancy stated. Beverly smiling, gave Nancy a nudge, and imitated Potter.

"Oi, Cho, how's a bout a bit of a how's your father." Beverly joked in a deep voice.

"It's not funny! I…I…" Cho looked as if she were about to tear up.

"Oh come on Cho, were just kidding. You're amongst friends here. And you shouldn't be embarrassed about your feelings for some one. But there are plenty of guys in this school that would love to go out with you. Why don't you try going out with one of them. You've haven't been out on a date since the one you had with Potter last year." Beverly said.

"Really? I heard that she was going out with Michael Corner last year." Nancy inquired. Beverly shook her head.

"No, Michael tried to hook up with her by trying to console her after the Quidditch game last year, but he found her to be _quite inconsolable_. But he went around saying that he shagged her anyway. The stupid bastard. Cho didn't try to deny it because she stopped talking to everyone, but that arse Marietta until summer." Beverly finished.

"Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures." Cho said in monotone with her left hand propping up her face.

"What?" asked Nancy taken off guard. Cho raised her eyes to her.

"You asked me what electives I was taking this year. Muggle studies and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Oh. Since when are you interested in those?" Nancy asked. Cho was happy at the change of subject.

"Well…we moved to England this summer, my parents and I, and have been living in London with my Uncle and cousins. He's a squib, and is married to a Muggle. It's been really difficult to understand some things about Muggles, and I was hoping that I could learn more about the lives of some of my friends and family." Cho said. "Beverly I was hoping that you could help me with my homework in that class this year, please." Cho asked. Beverly nodded her head.

"Sure Cho, no problem.

Just then, Luna walked over to tell Cho that she would be going up to the dorms now and that she would see her later.

"What about Care of Magical Creatures Class?" asked Nancy. "Why the sudden interest in that?"

"Well Luna asked me to take it with her. And I thought it would be fun." Cho said.

"Cho signed up so I could show her the Crumple Horned Snorack that my father and I captured over the summer. It was in the latest article of the Quibbler. He loaned it to Hogwarts over the summer, but it was only just delivered last week. It's going to be sooo cool when you guys see it." Luna finished happily.

"Oh sweetie, Crumple Horned Snoracks don't really exist. They are just mythology." Nancy said as Cho and Beverly gave each other embarrassed looks.

"Sure they do. Cho and Beverly saw the picture in the article. I left it in my dorm room, but I'll show you later." Luna said. Nancy raised an eyebrow.

"Really guys? Did you see it?" Nancy asked surprised that Luna could produce witnesses to her outrageous claim. Beverly gave an embarrassed look.

"Well actually, the thing is that…" Beverly started.

"That we actually did see the picture, and there was a Crumple Horned Snorack in it." Cho interrupted her quickly. "Right Beverly?" She finished. Beverly gave Cho a look of disappointment, but gave a weak "yea" to her. Nancy was genuinely surprised.

"Wow Luna, one of your outrageous claims actually turns out to be true. I'm impressed." Nancy said. Luna looked confused. (I mean more so than usual)

"What do you mean, for once?" Luna asked.

"Oh come on Luna, I mean you know all the creatures that you make up each year, like the Nargles in the wood work, and the Flying Manatocks hiding in the rafters. You have to admit that you have a very active imagination." Nancy said light hearted. Luna gave her a look of slight annoyance.

"I was telling the truth about the nargles, and the Manatocks. They are not part of my imagination. Cho you believe me don't you?" Luna pleaded. Cho cringed.

"Um…yes I do Luna. I know that you believe that you saw all those things. And I…I know that your telling the truth about the Snorack." Cho said embarrassed, but determined to get Luna's back.

"Great!" Luna hugged Cho from behind, and thanked her. "Well I've got to get settled in. See everyone in the common room." Luna said as she left with a wave. When she was out of earshot Nancy asked what a Crumple Horned Snorack actually looked like. Beverly put in quickly before Cho could try to stop her.

"Oh come on Nancy. There is no such thing. Luna just showed us a picture in the paper of her and her father pointing toward an empty space. It's as fictional as all her other delusions. Cho just wants us to pretend that we saw something so that we don't hurt her feelings.

"She says that it's invisible…she…" Cho tried to make an excuse for Luna.

"Stop it Cho. You know that there is no such thing. Look, I admire the fact that you're trying to keep her feelings from being hurt, but no other students going to say that they see a Snorack. And it's just going to be worse for her when the class starts and she can't produce one." Beverly said in utter annoyance. Cho lowered her head.

"That's why we have to get her back on this one. Because nobody else will. I don't want her being laughed at by all those other students, with no one to support her." Cho finished.

"Beverly's right Cho, you're doing more harm than good. I know that you mean well, but Luna's always been a little out there with her, beliefs. I think it's really bad to get her hopes up." Nancy said. Cho gave her a pleading look.

"Please, if she shows you the picture, tell her that you see the Snorack. She just needs people to believe in her."

"I'm sorry Cho, I just can't support lunacy. Look, I kind of like Luna, she's never done anything to me, and I feel bad for her. But she's a bit unstable. I won't say that I see something that I don't. I'm sorry." Nancy said sternly.

"I agree with Nancy. I'll tell Luna that I see the Snorack, but I don't want to look silly in front of my friends. I'm not telling anyone else I see it. You shouldn't either. I mean you're not going to look very good, supporting such fanciful claims of a girl with such a repetition. I hope you understand Cho." Beverly finished apologetically. Cho was severely disappointed. Her eyes lowered, as she spoke.

"Well…I am going to say I see it, and I don't care what anyone else thinks of me. Luna's going to need someone to believe in her." Cho finished. As the conversation turned to other things Cho started staring over at the Gryffindor table at Harry. Why couldn't she get her mind off of him. She didn't know how long she had been staring at him before she realized that he was making eye contact with her. Excessively embarrassed Cho turned to Beverly hoping that Harry thought that she just happened to glance his way, and that she wasn't staring at him with a longing look in her eyes. What am I doing Cho thought. He hates me. He yelled at me on the train. That was less than two hours ago. But I haven't stopped thinking about him all summer.

He's got a girlfriend. A girlfriend? Oh god what about Marietta. I have to warn Miss Granger about her. Cho looked over the Gryffindor table until she saw Miss Granger talking to a red headed boy towards the end of the table closest to the Masters table. Cho started to walk to the Gryffindor table, but turned around in mid stride. No! She thought to herself. It's none of my business. That's between her and Marietta. I don't owe her any favors. She's the girl that Harry cheated on me with last year. Let her and Marietta settle their own matters. After all she really hurt Marietta with that jinx. It was still a mean thing to do to _anyone_. Maybe if she hadn't jinxed it, than Marietta wouldn't have become so hateful. No…all the jinx did was bring out how Marietta felt about a lot of things. We all signed the parchment, and nothing would have happened to anyone who didn't betray Harry. But didn't I betray him by bringing her to the meeting? I knew that she hated him. I knew that she hated all non purebloods. But I thought I could change her. Am I just as guilty in having brought her there? No…I would never have betrayed Harry, but it's still all my fault that he got in trouble. Marietta is a bad person, who went out of her way to hurt people. And if she had not ratted out the DA nothing would have happened to her. I may not like Miss Granger, but I owe it to her to warn her about Marietta. Maybe I should just leave her an anonymous note, or send her an Owl. Cho thought. No. Everything that happened last year was my fault. I owe it to Miss Granger to warn her in person. Cho noticed that Harry was heading toward the exit of the great hall, and that Miss Granger was still in conversation with another student at the Gryffindor table. The great hall was emptying out fast, and the only person in earshot was the other girl she was talking to. It was now or never. Marietta had threatened to use the Cruico curse against this girl, and even if she wasn't serious about that, she was still planning something nasty. Whatever it was Cho knew that she didn't wish it on anyone. She slowly approached the Gryffindor table. Hermione Granger had her back to her.

"Mmm…Miss Granger?" Cho choked out. Hermione turned to see who was addressing her, and a look of sincere surprise came over her face when she realized it was Cho. "May I have a word with you in private please?" Cho asked politely. Hermione turned back to the girl she was talking to.

"Katie can I get bake with you on that later?" Katie Bell nodded her head and waved goodbye as she headed for the exit. Hermione than turned back to Cho, with a look of genuine confusion.

"Cho Chang…how…how can I help you?" Hermione asked. Cho had a worried look on her face that made Hermione think that Cho might be expecting to be jinxed for talking to her.

"Well I…Marietta Edgencombe she…she told me this summer that she was going to…to put the cruico curse on…on you this year. And I wanted to warn you to be careful around her." Cho stammered. Hermione gave a bewildered look.

"I don't understand Cho. Are you making a threat against me to lay off your friend?"

"Oh…no. She and I…we don't talk anymore. And I know that she didn't really mean it. I mean I know that she knows that the cruico curse is one of the unforgivable curses. But…I think that she will try something nasty on you to…get revenge for what you did to her last year. I just wanted you to be on guard. So that she wouldn't succeed in whatever she was planning. I didn't want you to get hurt. And I felt I owed it to you to…to let you know about her threats." Cho finished still with a worried look on her face. Hermione was surprised by Cho's act. She would have thought that Cho wanted a little payback for her friend too. She was at a bit of a loss for what to say.

"Um…thanks Cho. I…I'm very grateful you are thoughtful enough to warn me. Um, so your not friends with her anymore?" Hermione finished. Cho shook her head. Cho's look told Hermione that this wasn't easy for her. Marietta and Cho had still been friends when the jinx came on Marietta's face, and even though warning Hermione was the right thing to do, it certainly couldn't have been an easy thing to do, going against a former friend to help some one that you didn't really know. "Well I'm really grateful that you let me know. I'll keep an eye out for her. Hermione extended her hand to Cho in a gester of good will. Cho hesitated, but offered her hand as well.

"Um…well I have to go Miss Granger. To get settled in. Please excuse me." Cho turned to leave the great hall seeing Beverly and Nancy still at work on their pudding. When she was just a few feet away Hermione called to her.

"Hey Cho! Um, some girls from my house and I are having a study session in the courtyard tomorrow at four thirty. Would you like to come?" Hermione asked shyly. Oh no! Cho thought. She wasn't trying to make friends with Harry's girlfriend. She only intended to keep harm from coming to her. It would be really awkward for her, and she didn't know if she even liked her or not. She tried to think up an excuse.

"I…well the thing is that…I have to take um. I have to do some work for my head of house at that time. Review some papers. I'm sorry." Cho said apologetically. Hermione looked disappointed, but waved it off.

"Oh. Well maybe some other time." Hermione said disappointed. Cho nodded with a smile, and headed off toward the North Tower before Hermione could think of another time.

Cho reached a painting of a couple in a loving embrace. The woman was dressed in a white Victorian Error dress, with a purple parasol hanging off her arm, and the Man in a crimson soldier's uniform with white straps and a white pith helmet. The two of them were set against a South African planes background. They stopped there snogging when they heard Cho walk up.

"Oh, um excuse us. Err password please?" The man said embarrassed.

"Einstein." Cho said in monotone, and the portrait opened. Cho crossed the common room in which a few students had already started to gather toward the stairs.

The Ravenclaw common room was adorned with paintings of the most intellectually astute wizards, and witches of the past.The walls were painted in the house color of blue, with silver and bronze stripes. And in the middle of the fireplace mantel sat two empty spaces, one on which was to sat the Quidditch Cup, and the other, the House Cup. Since Cho had been going to school neither had graced the Ravenclaw room with their presence, and Cho feared she would not see it happen this year. But then again, she wasn't seeker this year, so Ravenclaw might just have a chance, since she wouldn't be on the team to screw things up.

Cho made her way to the left stair chamber and climbed the stairs to her dormitory to find Marietta, Danielle waiting for her at the entrance to her room, arms crossed, mischievous smiles on their faces, and a familiar looking steamer trunk at their feet. Pollyanna Millsworth a sixth year, stood in the background putting her things in Cho's dresser drawer.

"What's going on here?" Cho said suspiciously.

"Simple, dear Cho. I arranged to have the sleeping arrangements changed. Now Danielle and I don't have to share a room with someone who befouls herself with mudblood filth all the time. From now on this is going to be a room of _absolute purity_. You're new room is with that filth Beverly Jones, and, Nancy Cromwell can bloody well join you when she gets here." Marietta said tossing her hair with a tone of disgust. Cho was livid.

"You have no authority to change sleeping quarters. Head Girl doesn't carry that type of authority." Cho shot.

"Did I say anything about changing them myself? I said I had arranged to have them changed. I told professor Flitwick that the two of us had irreconcilable differences, and that we both agreed that the best way to resolve it was for one of us to change rooms. I told him that you had agreed to it as well, knowing that you would. Once I got a form with his okay, I arranged to have that other mudblood, Cromwell out of here too. You two will now be in the fifth room down the hall well away from me. Pollyanna Millsworth and Caoimhe Duffy will be taking the place of you two." Marietta said with a cheery smile. "Hear! I took the liberty of packing your shit up for you." Marietta gave the steamer trunk that was next to her a swift kick, sliding it over to Cho. Cho gave her a look of disgust.

"You know Marietta, your right. I wouldn't want to spend another second in the same room with a racist bigot like you. I'm glad to be out of this rat hole of a room that you two rats have infested." Cho said. Danielle and Marietta, reached for their wands at the insult, but Cho had brought hers up to Marietta's neck first. Marietta didn't flinch.

"Be careful Chang. Beverly isn't here to help you right now, and attacking us will lose you points for our house when we tell Flitwick about how you attacked us." Cho gave the two girls a look of deep hatred.

"You pulled wands on me first. And if you keep talking about my friends it won't matter. I'll blast the two of you with a jinx on general principal." Cho shot. Marietta and Daniel stared at Cho with deep hatred, but put their wands away. Cho did the same and started off down the hallway.

"Oh Cho! I forgot to put something in your trunk. You know that piece of rubbish that's been sitting on your nightstand before, during, and after you were snogging with Diggory. Do you want it back?" Marietta said as she held a picture frame with Harry Potter playing Quidditch from Cho's third year. Cho again reached for her wand and pointed it in the direction of Marietta, and Danielle.

"You…you give that back right now Marietta or I'll kill you.

"Oh my! Making homicidal threats now are we Cho. Tisk tisk…You know if you weren't in my house, I'd take ten points for that right now." Marietta looked at the picture. "Well I guess we all know who keeps Cho wet between the legs at night." She and Danielle chuckled. "Here you can have it. Better enjoy it. It's all that's going to be left of him after he meets up with You-Know-Who." Danielle put in as Marietta tossed the picture at Cho's feet. "That is, if he's even telling the truth about what happened." Marietta finished. Cho picked the framed picture of Harry. The glass was broken, and Harry was rubbing a fresh burse on his head that had not been there before. Cho shot the two of them a look of deep hatred.

"What's that supposed to mean. Don't you read the papers? He's a hero, and he defeated You-Know-Who, and his Death Eaters at the ministry of Magic last year. Cho said in Harry's defense

"Really Cho? I thought that last year you kept telling me that all the papers were rubbish. And while I'm not denying that he took on You-Know-Who's Death Eaters, there is some doubt as to weather You-Know-Who himself is back. After all…One of the primary witnesses ended up taking his own life before he could give any details about what really went on. And Dumbledore said that he couldn't divulge the names of most of the other people involved, so as to not…"Blow their cover" as he put it. So really, it's just the word of the Head Master and a few students about what really happened.

"Luna saw everything. She can tell you, not that I would have her bother trying to convince you two. You'd probably be happy about his return, and join him." Cho finished.

"Not really. He was a bit to extreme for us. We want the mudbloods out, but not dead. Not that we would miss them, but…were really just looking out for the greater good of society. People who don't come from pure magical linage don't have any business in our world. They need to leave. Anyway I read an account by Lunatic Lovegood in that stupid magazine, the Quaker, and she never personally saw You-Know-Who, and nether did any of Potters friends. Just him and the head Master. But than again, knowing how crazy she is, his return might be about as real as a Crumple Horned Snorack." Cho threw up her hands, and walked away without another word. If she exchanged another word with Marietta and Danielle she would be expelled for what she would do to them. She made her way to her new dorm room where Luna was visiting with Beverly and Nancy.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Things You Learn Hiding Under A Common Room Table.**

After a while Cho finished explaining about the change of rooms, and why. Nancy Cromwell had a look of hurt on her face. "I don't understand. What the hell did I ever do to them? And why are they acting like this now? They never used to hang out with me, but were always civil. Why do they hate me?" Nancy asked, with a tear in her eye. Cho had a guilty look on her face.

"Well the thing is Nancy…I made them be civil to you and everyone else not pureblood or up to what they consider acceptable, these last few years and…now that they and I are no longer friends, they have nothing to keep them from being the biggest gits on the planet. I'm really sorry if they hurt you guys, but I think that it's actually turned out okay. I mean I'm really happy not to share a room with the two of them. I'd much rather be with my real friends. You guys have been great, and I missed all of you over the summer." Cho finished grateful. Nancy smiled embarrassed.

"It's okay Cho; you've always gotten our backs. And your right, it will be good to be away from those creeps. Screw them." Nancy said hotly, and wiping away a tear.

"Here! Here! And were not about to let a couple of wankers like Marietta, and Danielle ruin our school year. I'm glad you decided to hang with us Cho. You've always been a great friend." Beverly put in. Cho's eyes lowered.

"No, I haven't. I haven't been a good friend at all these last few years. I divided my time up amongst my friends, because Marietta and Danielle wouldn't associate with any of you. I should not have let Marietta determine when I could hang out with certain people, and when I couldn't. I should have told her that if she didn't want to hang out with any of you that she couldn't hang out with me at all. But…I didn't. Instead I scheduled my time like my friends were a business, and selected when I could hangout with which friends. I also spent the lion's share of my time with Marietta. I'm sorry guys. I let you all down. I hope you can forgive me." Cho said softly. Her three friends gave her a group hug. Nancy spoke.

"Look Cho, the thing is that you're enough of a friend that you made time to be with all of us. You actually defied Marietta telling you to keep away from us, and were never embarrassed to talk to us in public, and never ignored us. And I remember you being there for everyone in this room when it really mattered. When no one else seemed to be there for us. You _are_ a good friend, and we're all honored to have you with us." Beverly finished. Cho sincerely smiled.

"Thanks guys. But I promise you that this year will be different. This year I'm not going to divide my time up at all. If any of my pureblood friends will not welcome you guys as a friend, than I'm not interested in being theirs. I promise."

As the conversation continued Cho unpacked her steamer trunk and gave out the gifts that she had bought for Beverly, and Luna. She was glad that Beverly had agreed to go to the joke shop for her that last day in Diagon Alley for her and get Nancy's Weasley's Wildfire Whizbangs for her. She would have been too embarrassed to run into Harry with his girlfriend there. Cho was disappointed to find out that "The Magic Eight Ball" was not actually magic after all but, a novelty item, but the four girls had fun with it, asking it all kinds of yes or no questions. Cho also showed Luna some muggle money and explained the value of each if she ever decided to visit any Muggle sights. After a while, a girl with dark black hair, and a pink flower braid, on walked in with a steamer trunk. Cho and Beverly recognized her as Erica Goldberg, a Ravenclaw seventh year, and evidently Cho's and Nancy's new room mate. She had shared the room with Beverly, Caoimhe Duffy, and Jill Tanaka in previous years. Erica was surprised to see Cho and Nancy in with their things unpacked in her room, but Beverly explained about Marietta's reasons for getting Professor Flitwick to agree to a change. After more socializing the five girls realized that it was getting late, and Beverly, Nancy, and Erica got ready for bed. Luna started off to her Dorm room two floors down. Cho garbed a Charms book, a quill and some ink, and started to follow her out the door. Nancy had a look of surprise on her face.

"Cho? Where are you going?" she asked bewildered. Cho turned to her at the doorway.

"Oh…I have some work to do for tomorrow. I'm going to go to the common room to study." Cho said mater of factly.

"But we haven't even had our first class yet. I know you like to do homework, although I'll never know why, when it's not assigned to you, but why not wait until we at least have our first class." Nancy.

"Well the thing is that I'm really behind and I need to catch up. Just for a little while." Cho said.

"Whatever." Nancy finished as she climbed into bed. Cho left went out the door with Luna hearing Beverly say to Nancy, that at least with Cho wanting to do extra credit work that it was a sign that she was returning to her old self again.

When Cho and Luna were out of earshot Cho whispered quietly that she needed to speak to Luna in the common room alone. The common was dimly lit this late at night, and it was difficult to make their way to a seat in the dark. The two of them sat at a table with a gray table cloth, by the window and Cho explained to Luna everything that went on over the summer. She explained about her mother being in a Muggle hospital and her work as a volunteer and all the classes she took, and books she read, about the disease. When she had to explain about a radical Mastectomy to Luna Cho finally broke down in tears, on Luna's shoulder who held Cho's limp body and sat horrified at the thought of the procedure. Luna stroked Cho's hair for a time telling her that things were going to be alright. Cho explained that the family considered it a very private matter, and that she was really not supposed to talk about it with anyone, but she was going to go crazy if she couldn't let at least one of her friends know how she felt. The two girls talked for an hour and Cho pored her heart and sole out to Luna about everything, including how she could not get Harry out of her head, and how he yelled at her on the train. Luna took particular offence to this. She also liked Harry, though just as a friend and thought it was horrible for him to treat Cho like that. Marietta was the one who had betrayed the DA, not Cho. Cho never had a jinx on her face.

"Look." Luna said. "I'll have a talk with Harry tomorrow. I'm sure he didn't mean it Cho. There must be some explanation why he acted like that. I mean maybe it was after he got in trouble for attacking those three Slytherins, and he was just mad at the world." Luna finished. Cho wiped away another tear, and looked at Luna perplexed.

"What do ya mean, attacked three Slytherins?" Luna explained about how she heard that Ernie Mac Millan, a Hufflepuff prefect had had to take points off Harry for some kind of altercation on the train. Cho just lowered her head.

"Poor Harry, I'm sure that he couldn't have started it. There must be some mistake. Luna, will you please tell Harry when you see him that I didn't mean to get everyone in trouble and I'm sorry about Marietta doing what she did." Cho pleaded.

"Look Cho. I'll tell Harry that you're sorry about how things turned out, but you don't have any reason to feel guilty. You had every **_good intention_** of showing Marietta that Harry was a good person, and changing her mind about him, and whatever she did to disrupt the DA was her own doing. I know that you would have never tried to get Harry in trouble. I'll talk to him for you, but let's get to bed for now, it's getting late, your not going to get any work done, and besides, Nargles come out of the woodwork and bite people during these hours the most. Cho started to follow Luna to the stairwell entrance, but as they reached it they heard familiar voices coming toward them. Luna whispered to Cho. "Marietta and Danielle. I was hoping to avoid them." Cho nodded her head.

"Me too." Cho said.

"Let's just rush past them." Luna said. Cho looked at her bewitched watch, and whispered to Luna that it was past curfew and that Marietta would give detention to the two of them if they were caught. She then pulled Luna over to the table that they had just been sitting at and the two of them crawled underneath it, and pulled the tablecloth down low over them just as Marietta, and Danielle entered the room. Cho and Luna could not see Marietta or Danielle, but could hear them moving around the common room.

"Anyone here?" Marietta's voice called. The ceiling of the common room brightened as Marietta turned the knob of the unlit oil lamp by the door that had been bewitched to control the brightness of the ceiling. The room became brighter but the table clot still hid Cho and Luna from sight.

"Your not really going to sneak out and see _him_ now are you Marietta?" Danielle asked worried.

"**Shhhhh! **Danielle! The paintings. Gelo Abdo! Gelo Abdo! Gelo Abdo! Gelo Abdo!" Marietta shouted as Cho and Luna saw four bright flashes from underneath the table. "There that should do it." Marietta said satisfied.

"Are you sure that it's necessary to do this now? I mean what if one of the ghost sees you?" Danielle said.

"Then they will get a memory charm just like Potter. It's harder to work one on a ghost but I studied this summer when I received the assignment. And it's necessary to get some plans laid out now. I'm going to have a lot of work to do for my classes this week, and I need to get the society's work underway when I'm working on my studies. Are all the leaflets handed out to all the appropriate students?" Marietta asked.

"Yes. We have Pansy Parkinson and Oliver Skint in Slytheren, and Brian Walsh in Hufflepuff. We couldn't find a Hufflepuff girl that we could trust with the job. We also have Devin Smith and Lori Sanchez in Gryffindor. They all have their material and assignments. Everything's set for the first Hogsmead weekend." Danielle stated worried. "Look Marietta. I don't know if the society would approve of your relation ship with _him_. Are you sure you know what your doing?"

"No need to worry about that. When he is who he becomes he is a pureblood. He is who ever he becomes. And the society has given me a free hand in the planning of this operation." Marietta said flatly.

"But what about the room? It's not going to take the ghost or that poltergeist too long to find another bewitched room. And the Head Master will be asking filch a few questions since that's not his office. What happens then?" Danielle continued with concern.

"I'll get a plan worked out for that tonight. The room is in a remote part of the castle so, it will be some time before any of them come across it. By that time I might just have it un-jinxed if we come up with a better plan. If any of them find it before then, which isn't likely, Filch can just deny knowing about it. Besides I'll up any trace of evidence every night. No one's going to find out anything. Oh! We also have to start working on Caoimhe. We have to let her know the importance of her heritage. Pollyanna has already been spoken to over the summer by some friends and she's learning the importance of being with her own kind. Look I've got to go before it's to late. I'll fix the paintings when I come back. If anyone comes in they will just think that they are sleeping, which is probably what they were doing anyway. Now get some sleep. We have work to do tomorrow after class.

The room dimmed as Marietta turned the knob on the oil lamp that turned off the illumination of the ceiling, and left through the portrait. Cho and Luna waited a few minutes after they heard Danielle walk up the stairs to her room. The two girls made their way to the lamp and turned up the illumination on the ceiling a little. They looked around at all the paintings on the walls. They all appeared to be sleeping. Cho walked over to a painting of a young wizard in front of a library, and poked it.

"Hello?" she whispered. "Hello? Wake up. Please wake up." Cho finished, but the portrait did not move. In fact none of the pictures moved, or made any sound at all. "I don't understand. What has she done to them?" Cho asked. Luna just gave a shrug. Cho went to the doorway of the common room.

"Where are you going?" Luna asked. Cho turned to her with a worried look on her face.

"I'm going to ask the lady and soldier in the portrait outside to come in here and take a look at this." Cho said.

"But they can't. They have to guard the door at all times." Luna said. Cho thought for a minute.

"Well…there are two of them. If only one comes in for a minute it will be okay. I just need to test something. But …hold the door open for me." Cho opened the door and exited out into the hall out side. Luna waited with baited breath. After a few minutes Cho finally reemerged. She did not look happy.

"What did they say?" Luna asked.

"They didn't say anything. Their just frozen there, still as anything. Not moving at all." Cho said worried.

"Do you think that Marietta killed all the paintings?" Luna asked.

"No, she's more likely found a way to just keep them in a state of suspended animation. But I don't know why…well I guess she wanted to make absolutely sure that no one saw her leave tonight." Cho said.

"Who was she going to go see?" Luna asked. Cho gave a shrug.

"I don't know, but I think that we need to keep a careful eye on those two from now on. I need time to think of a way to keep tabs on them. And maybe to talk to the Gray Lady tomorrow." Cho gave a yawn. "God though, I'm tired. Look I've got to get some sleep. We'll meet in the library tomorrow after our last class." Cho finished. The two of them left to their respective dorm rooms. Cho found her three room mates fast a sleep, and she got changed for bed. She looked at the time on her watch. One fifty AM. She was going to be very tired in class tomorrow.

Authors note: As I have run out of what little I have that could be considered talent. The next chapter will be from Marietta's point of view. I had hoped to keep it from only Cho's and Harry's perspective, but I'm really not that good. Still, I'll try to keep it interesting.


	16. Chapter 16

Froggie2: Yea, Cho is very loyal like that. And in this chapter we'll find out about who Marietta is seeing in the dead of the night. I hope I don't give too much away in this one, but I thought that I needed to start explaining some things.

Blacks Phoenix: Thanks for staying interested in my story:) I hope you like this chapter. It will sound like I'm starting to turn it into a porn story, but this is not the case. We just happen to catch up with Marietta after an intimate encounter, so I had to set the mood.

**Chapter 16: The Secret Love of Marietta Edgencombe**

Marietta slid out of the bed in the small bed in the bedroom/bathroom combo. Scented candles adorned the room, and she brushed some wax off her Brest. She was naked; her hair was tossed, and she had a glow about her face. She went over to the night stand and opened the top drawer, and looked inside. It contained men's underwear, a very old pistol, a wand, a pack of fags, and a lighter. She pulled out the pack of fags and lighter. Then returned to the bed, took one of them for herself, and gave the rest of them to her companion, Draco Malfoy. She kissed him passionately. He looked up at her. "I have to change back into _him_ now Marietta." He said. Marietta lit her cigarette, and sighed.

"Must you, it's disgusting." She complained.

"If you want to discuss anything. Draco will dream about this tomorrow night." he said as she lit his cigarette as well. He took the lighter and fags from her and put it on the night stand. Marietta tossed her head.

"That doesn't sound so bad. I regret that we couldn't bring him in on this, but he'll be too watched by the Head Master, who has accused his father. But kill the mood if you must." Marietta watched as Draco turned in to a clear jelled substance and reformed into her dear second uncle Argus Filch.

"It's would be bad if Draco hears too much. And we have much to talk about." Filch said. Marietta took a drag off of her cigarette, and blew out a smoke ring.

"Will Uncle Filch dream of shagging me?" She asked casually. Filch looked at her.

"No. He will dream about what we say now. Draco will dream about shagging you. But you may give Filch an erection if you don't put your clothes back on. Filch stated as he took a drag from his own cigarette. Marietta stepped out of bead again, and began to put her school uniform on.

"Now, about Potter. How do you want to start his decent?" Filch asked. Marietta smiled.

"Actually love. He has done us a great favor. He attacked Draco Malfoy and two other Slytherins on the Hogwart's Express. When I first heard about it I thought you had started without me. But I found out that he and Draco have a vendetta that's been going on since their first year. As a bonus he lost thirty points for his house. But I need a couple of days to find out where best to cause him to go off at other students. You just can't have him go off at random at people." Marietta said in a calculating tone. Filch just laid back against the bedpost supported by a pillow.

"If the society wants rid of him so bad, then why don't you just let me kill him? I could do it tomorrow." he stated casually. Marietta just smiled.

"Humph. It wouldn't be so easy to kill _The Harry Potter._ He has defeated You-Know-Who on several occasions. But even if you could, it wouldn't help us. It would only make him a martyr. We need to shame him like the Ministry of Magic, and Daily Profit did last year. We need to have him become a villain again, and be hated by all. Then…if the situation allows, kill him." She smiled, pulled up her pants, and walked over to the ashtray on the night stand. Marietta then turned to her Uncle and crossed her arms. "This next week will be spent gathering intelligence. Become who ever you need to. Find out what ever you can. Mrs. Norris will be the best cover. Oh! Did you find out anything in the great hall tonight? She asked putting on her braw and shirt. Filch taped his cigarette in the ashtray, and gave her a satisfied look.

"Potter has a practice game against Hufflepuff on Friday at five thirty. I can remain out of sight while everyone gets ready, but I need him to be by himself for a few minutes, and I need you to hide the body close by." Filch stated. Marietta thought for a second.

"Humm. An invisibility cloak would do the trick. I'll have my dear Uncle to send for one. It's not going to be easy for them to pick up. They are hard to come by, but it would be worth the expense. I'm sure they can have it here before Friday. Where do you want us to wait?" she asked. Filch rubbed his chin in deep thought.

"Find out where the Gryffindor team changes into their uniform." He said. Marietta finished tying her tie.

"Why don't you stun him in the castle?" she asked.

"It's out of range of the Quidditch Pitch. It would be too much trouble for you and Filch to take it to the pitch, and since were going to leave him there for the others to find I might as well do it there." Marietta nodded. Filch got up and embraced Marietta from behind. She shook him off.

"Ewwww. Not while you're _him_." She said. He looked upset.

"Well why don't I take the form of your friend Danielle then. She's young enough. And she already has some knowledge about your plan. She is part of the society." He said. Marietta gave him a look of distaste.

"I don't fancy members of the same sex. It's disgusting. Besides, Danielle is working on a need to know basis, and she doesn't need to know everything that goes on in here. There must be a way that you can impersonate someone and not have them remember anything." She said pondering a way to allow her lover to not have to look like Filch every time they talked.

"That's the flaw in being what I am. They always remember. Some more, some less. But everyone remembers something. Why don't you just zap a boy that I copy with a memory charm?" He asked.

"I can't count on being able to catch a boy by himself every time I would have to zap him with one. Besides, I'm going to have too much school work to do to go around doing it. I would say that you could kill one for me and take his place…how does that sound?" She finished. Filch shot her a look of anger.

"**Don't say that!** Remember your Uncle will dream all that we have said tomorrow night. Besides, you couldn't kill him. Do you know how painful it is to imitate the dead? You can't imagine. Their mind is empty. It always feels lost. It's agony. Not unless it's absolutely necessary do I ever do that." He said. Marietta smiled, and gave him a caressing hug.

"Well. It will be necessary soon love. It will be very necessary. I'll make it to where it will be as short a time as possible though. What if we could keep a boy you copy alive? I mean somewhere that no one would find him. What exactly is your range from here outside the castle?" Marietta asked. Filch reflected, closing his eyes to concentrate. After a few minutes he spoke.

"Just inside the forbidden forest. About Three hundred yards inside I would guess. But if we tied anyone up and left them there, they would be dead very soon. Even if nothing to dangerous came that close to the edge of it, the bugs would eat him up after a few days. And I would feel it. And he would need to be fed, watered, and allowed to go to the lavatory. I would have to watch him all the time. And I could not attend any of his classes as him on the opposite side of the castle, as it would be out of range. And we can't keep him here. I'm not going to be a nursemaid to a boy just so you can come here at night and have a good shag. Besides, this room is supposed to be temporary." He finished. Marietta walked over to the dresser and looked in the mirror. She picked up a brush and began fixing her hair.

"I know. Danielle was worried about the same thing. I haven't gotten it worked out yet, but the ghost will not come to this area any time soon. You'll be okay for now." Marietta finished.

"There is still the issue of the crate in Filch's office, and what you're going to do about it. How often will you need to stop by and cast a spell to keep it…_fresh?" _Marietta frowned.

"The book from the mortuary says that the spells only last a week. I'll have to be in there every Tuesday to keep it from rotting. Uncle Filch will just have to deal with it being in his office until I'm ready for it. It's for the greater good of society and the society." Marietta grabbed her Uncle's head and pulled it to look eye to eye with her. **"I'm sure you'll understand that Uncle. It's a matter of greater good for society."** She yelled, and let go of him. She then looked at her watch. "I've only a little time left, and I wanted to know more about racist insults that the Muggles use. I enjoyed the one you taught me. Calling Cho a chinc really seemed to hurt her feelings. Luck for me she's always been so emotionally fragile. What else have you gotten for me? I'm hoping to have her in tears by the end of the week." She smiled. Filch gave her a confused look.

"I thought she was your friend? Do you really want to do this to her?" He asked curious. Marietta tossed her head as she spoke.

"_Was my friend." _She said bitterly. And will be again in good time. But she needs to be punished for defying me…and for the company she's kept over the years. I will crush her sprit. But after I have, I will forgive her and welcome her back. After all she is still pure blood, and she did defend me to that mudblood filth Potter. I suppose I owe her for that. Anyway, it's for her own good." She finished. Filch thought for a minute.

"Alright. The first step to hurting anyone is to make them feel self conscious about their looks. Tell Miss Chang that you would punch her in the face, but you see that someone already has." Filch said mischievously. Marietta thought about it for a second, but wasn't able to get it.

"I don't understand. No ones punched her in the nose." She said clueless to the racist remark. Filch gave a look of disappointment.

"It's a remark about her ethnic features. People who have Asian ethnic features tend to have their noses close in to their faces. It's saying that she has a flat nose." He stated casually.

"But there is nothing wrong with that. Many people in this country have…flat noses as you say. How is that an insult?" Marietta said, still not understanding the lesson in bigotry. Filch slapped his head in frustration.

"It doesn't matter. Pointing out the certain features in others and making them feel excluded, and different, hurts people feelings. Believe me it works. I've been doing it for centuries. I've started wars amongst the Muggles, by getting people to hate each other for silly reasons like religion, race, color, and the like. My personal best moment for causing people to hate each other was when I impersonated several Japanese Commanders in nineteen thirty-seven and nineteen thirty eight in a place called Nanjing, or Nanking, as you say in the West. My kind used to cause chaos in the Muggle world all the time before we started dying off. But anyway I'm getting off the subject with my reminiscing about better times. The point is if you really want to hurt someone's feelings you have to point out how they are different. Even if there is nothing wrong with them, a good way to hurt someone is to make even the slightest feature a negative. I mean even here people make fun of others if they have a lot of pimples, or have big teeth, or things like that. Try to look for the differences in this girl, and point out how she is not like most people. You have the advantage, as there are very few Asians here that are not from the subcontinent of Asia. So Miss Chang is in a small minority. In fact I believe she is the only ethnically Chinese person in Ravenclaw. Too bad Japanese insults about the Chinese usually don't translate well into English. I used to make fun of Chinese all the time when I was in the Imperil Japanese Army. I made fun of white people too.

Of coarse ethnicity or color doesn't really matter, but as long as people think it does you too can use it to your advantage. Hate is power Marietta. Never forget that. Hate can allow you to achieve wonderful things. I saw a man in Germany build up a destitute and hopeless people by telling them that they were better than anyone else. And with the help of a Dark Wizard, they became one of the most powerful nations in the Muggle world. He dispatched his enemy's by the millions. He also made some people who were ethnically different scapegoats by pointing out how they were different and blaming all of his peoples problems on them. Of coarse he was defeated, but he almost won. I was with the Japanese when we were his allies. He, like Prime Minister Tojo, used hate to inspire the people.

Marietta looked at Filch curious. "How long will you live?" She asked. He looked bake at her a little sad.

"Not much longer. My time is almost up. I'll only live at the most another two hundred years." He said. Marietta's jaw dropped.

"Two hundred years is a bloody long time! That's sooo far off. I won't live two hundred years." She stated. Filch stretched his arms to the ceiling, took another drag off his cigarette, and looked at her with a knowledge that she would never comprehend how short two hundred years was for someone who had lived so very long. "And still you can be anyone. It's like having the power of eternal youth. Only a vampire is as fortunate. And you can even go outside in daylight." She said enviously. Marietta walked back up to him. He looked down at her and caressed her soft cheeks.

"Who do you want me to copy tomorrow?" he asked. Marietta gave out a playful laugh.

"I can't come here tomorrow. I'm going to have a lot of school work, and my Head Girl duties will keep me excessively busy. Plus my work for the society. I won't be able to come back until Thursday. But I'll be formulating a plan to deal with Potter and Chang." She said happily.

"Well also work on a way for me to take the place of a student. I hate being your Uncle and his cat. He has a bladder infection and Mrs. Norris has flees. You can't imagine what it's like to have them crawl all over your body and bite you all the time. Marietta caressed his cheek.

"Aw poor baby. Don't worry, I'll think of something. Maybe I can find a way to build an invisible house in the forbidden forest. If I get the invisibility cloak I requested sneaking out of the school won't be a problem. But I really think that the ghost may never find this place. They don't really know to look for it. If we keep a boy in here you can take his place, and have your run of the castle. All we need to do is make sure that he has enough food and water, and hygiene supplies. We can keep him in here until were finished for the year. Then we get rid of him. And we can find other places for our intimate encounters as well." She said with a seductive smile.

"And who would you prefer me to take the place of if I agreed?" Filch said. Marietta thought for a few minutes.

"Who is the boy with the biggest dick in Hogwarts? **No! **Who is the pureblood boy with the biggest dick in Hogwarts?" She corrected herself. Filch was stunned.

"Pureblood? You would be willing to kill a pureblood for your own satisfaction." He said amazed at the boldness of her query. Marietta gave out another playful laugh.

"Come now my love. Making a few necessary sacrifices is all part of the plan. Tragically a few purebloods have to die if Potter is to be sent to Azkaban and made the enemy of all purebloods. The boy we choose for you to replace will simply be another of Potters victims. And I'll have all the evidence point to him." Marietta finished proud of herself.

"When your uncle dreams of this tomorrow night. He will inform the society that you're going too far after he wakes up. Now I know why you didn't want me to take the form of your friend Danielle. She also would be right off to the society as well." Filch said worried. Marietta smiled.

"That's why I'm going to hit him with a memory charm when he wakes up, and that's why we need to imprison one of the boy students in here, so you can take his place and he can't tell anyone, being that the room is sound proof. So I ask you again, so I can get to work on it…who's the pureblood with the biggest dick in Hogwarts?" she asked lovingly. Filch smiled.

"That will take some time to find out." He said.

"Than get to it. I need to go and change the paintings in the common room back before anyone wakes up. I'll be back on Thursday. I'll see you in the great hall as Mrs. Norris. Now, you were wonderful tonight lover. Turn back into Draco Malfoy so I can stick my tong down your throat." She smiled seductively. After his transformation they shared a loving kiss, and Marietta exited out the secret panel in the wall. She made her way back to the portrait in front of the Ravenclaw house entrance, and reversed her earlier spell. The two figures in the painting were none the wiser, it was as if nothing had happened. Marietta gave the password, and proceeded to the common room, also reversing the spells she had cast earlier in that room. It was five twenty in the morning when she finally got to sleep. She would be completely exhausted in the morning, but it was worth it to finally see her lover again. And no one, other than Danielle, was any the wiser that she had even left the house.


	17. Chapter 17

Well hear it is. Chapter 17. I don't know what to say about it. It's best described by the people reading it. I hope all of you like it. Next chapter will have a conversation between Harry and Cho. Yes they finally meet for a good chat. Thanks again to everyone interested.

xHx: Thanks for the review of chapter 16. I really needed the feed back. Oh! And thinks for telling me about the school year in the UK. I can put Cho's birthday earlier than I thought. I hope that someone else reading this story will write a review of that chapter as well. It's the first I've done from Marietta's POV.

**Chapter 17: The Hate of the Gryffindors **

Harry and his mates were in class for their first Defense against Dark Arts lesson. The three Gryffindors sat in the back of the room to avoid their new teacher. Professor Snape was giving a lecture about ancient creatures. They were sharing the lesson with the Slytherins from their same year. The lesson had been going on for an hour. Harry would look at Pansy Parkinson, who had lost a lot of weight, from time to time, and lose concentration on his lesson. Snape would give Harry a scathing look every so often, when ever he walked bye.

"Now amongst the many ancient creatures in the world, is one particular specimen, known as the vampire. Vampires until recently have been an enemy of Wizarding kind. But with the success of privately owned blood banks in most developed nations such as ours, in the nineteen eighty's, vampire attacks have become rare. And who can tell me the name of the treaty that was signed four years ago between the Ministry of Magic, and the Vampire Royal Prince, Hearth." Snape said. Hermione's hand instantly shot up, and she shook it violently, trying to get Professor Snape's attention. He merely ignored her and walked over to a clearly distracted Harry. **"Mr. Potter!" **He yelled slamming an open hand on Harry's desk, and startling him. Harry jumped and looked up at Professor Snape. "Mr. Potter, have you been paying attention?" Snape asked. Harry looked at him still stunned.

"Yes Professor." Harry said nervously. Snape smiled a large toothy grin.

"Good, than perhaps you can tell me the answer." He said still grinning. Harry hadn't heard the question. And tried to stammer out an answer.

"I…that is…the answer is…a shield charm?" Harry asked.

"Ten points from Gryffindor _Mr. Potter. _And ten points from whoever can't get the same question right._" _Snape chided. Harry gave a sigh of distress. Snape walked over to the table that Malfoy sat at. "Now…fortunately we do have a few students in this class that are of superior intellect. Ones that unlike Mr. Potter, can manage to pay attention, and answer correctly. Mr. Malfoy?" Draco Malfoy Looked up to his favorite teachers eyes, with a worried look on his face. "Mr. Malfoy, please tell the class the name of the treaty signed four years ago, between the Wizarding World, and the Vampire Prince Heath." Snape asked with confidence. Draco, merely put down his head, and sighed.

"I…I don't know sir." He said embarrassed. Snape's face turned beat red.

"Don't know? Don't know? What do you mean you don't know? I've just been talking about it for the last five minutes." Snape asked angry. Draco slumped back down in his desk. Draco had a look of depression on his face.

"I'm sorry Professor; I must have just missed that one part." Snape gave him a look of contempt. And walked back to the front of the room.

"Well who else can tell me?" He asked. Hermione spoke up with out being called on.

"Professor Snape. You forgot to take ten points off of Slytheren." She said anxious. Snape shot her a look that sent a chill up her spine.

"Oh thank you for reminding me Miss Granger. You're very right. Draco that will be ten points." Draco gave Hermione an equally vicious look. "And I think ten points off for you Miss Granger for talking in class without permission." Snape said in a sneering tone. Hermione gasped, but did not say anything. Snape rubbed his chin. "However, you have also caught me in a generous mood. I'll give you a chance to get those ten points back…for the benefit of the class. Tell us, what was the name of the treaty that the vampire's signed with us four years ago?" He asked casually. Hermione stood up and started in a confident voice.

"It was the Blood-Wand Pact." Hermione stated. Snape nodded his head.

"And it provided for…?" Snape challenged.

"A ceasing of all hostilities between vampires, and wizarding people, and a ceasing of all attacks, on Wizarding and Muggle, humans. In return several blood banks in the United Kingdom would be set up exclusively for vampire consumption. It allowed the vampire's of this country to live in peace, and allowed members of the wizarding world, and Muggle world to live without fear of attacks from vampires. It also led to similar treaties with the vampires across the channel in Europe, and All other developed countries." Hermione finished. Snape again begrudgingly nodded his head.

"Fine Miss Granger you get your ten back." Snape walked over to Pansy Parkinson and looked down at her.

"And now Miss Parkinson, can you tell me why vampires continue to attack people on occasion." He asked. Pansy nervously stood up. She stammered for the words, and found them.

"Well…it's because…some vampires are just evil. I mean…they have a blood lust don't they. Like they can't control themselves. So every so often, when they are feeling a bit starved, and don't want to bother with standing in the queue at the blood bank…the more villainous among them, attack people, and drain out all their blood." Pansy finished. Snape gave a weak clap.

"Well done Miss Parkinson. Ten points to Slytheren. And now to Mr. Weasley." Snape continued, moving over to where Ron was sitting. Ron had a concerned look on his face. "Mr. Weasley, can you tell me the two possible results of being bitten by a vampire?" Snape said with an angry expression. Hermione's hand shot up again, but Ron gently grabbed her arm, and lowered it. He gulped and gave Snape the answer.

"The first one is that you become a vampire if you are bitten. Doomed to live forever in darkness. And the second is that…you…die." Ron finished, nervous at the thought. Snape had an expression of surprise on his face.

"Yes very good Mr. Weasley. You become a vampire, doomed never again to see the light of day, or you…_die!"_ Snape said. He walked to the front of the class, and faced the students. "Just like Miss Iris Foxmead. This summer a vampire got a hold of her, and drained her of all her blood. From what I understand it was very messy and as the killer hasn't been caught yet, and for the benefit of all the students here, and especially all those from the Dover area, tomorrow we will be learning how to defend ourselves against vampires. For your home work you will each write a four foot long essay on the history of vampire attacks." Snape said. He then turned to Draco Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy. You will write one six feet long." Snape stated with a tone of disappointment. Draco nodded, his expression unreadable. Snape again turned to address the students. "Now get out of here the lot of you." Snape said annoyed. Harry and his mates rushed out the door and made their way down the hall. Ron and Hermione gave Harry a quizzical look. Harry felt their eyes bore into him, and wondered what they were looking at.

"What?" Harry asked. Ron looked embarrassed, but spoke up.

"Well…it's just that you seemed to be staring at Pansy Parkinson really hard. What was up with that?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged

"Oh that. I just noticed that she lost a lot of weight over the summer, and…well some other stuff changed about her." Harry said innocently. Ron smiled.

"Yea I noticed she gained weight in a few other more desirable places." Ron finished, in a sly tone. Hermione gagged.

"Yuck! Is that all that you guys think about? About sex?" she said disapprovingly. Harry and Ron looked at each other, and then at Hermione.

"Well yea, lately." Harry said. "That, and Quidditch. I just really haven't been able to stop myself thinking about girls." Harry said genuinely. Ron suddenly slapped his head.

"Oh, Harry! I forgot to tell you that I'll be late to Quidditch practice tomorrow about an hour." Ron stated apologetically.

"Why Ron?" Harry asked. Ron began to blush.

"Well actually that's the day I have Special Effects class with Luna Lovegood." Ron said smiling. Hermione gave him a scalding look.

"Ron! I thought you agreed not to go out with that stupid girl. Why don't you drop that class? We need to work on your Vampire sheet anyway. You'll need my help." Hermione finished, in an authoritive tone. Ron gave a frown.

"Why would you say that about Luna? I thought that the two of you got along fine at the Ministry of Magic last year. And if I were not taking the class I would be playing Quidditch. What makes you instantly assume that I need your help with My Vampire essay? Think I'm stupid do you?" Ron asked offended. Hermione looked a little hurt.

"Well I always have to do a lot of yours and Harry's work for you, and I may have gotten along with Luna at the Ministry, but that was before…" Hermione stopped herself. "…anyway you read the article in the Quibbler, it said that they had captured a Crumple Horned Snorack, and that they were going to lend it to Hogwarts this year. Even had an article with a picture of the Snorack, except that there was no Snorack, just an empty space. And what book were we assigned in Care of Magical Creatures Class? "Walking with Giants", that's what. We weren't assigned any books on Snoracks. So that means Luna is a liar. Do you really want to spend your time with someone like that?" Hermione said in a condemning manner. Ron looked at her shocked at the frustration she was displaying.

"Look Hermione. Luna's a nice girl. I'll be the first to admit that she has an overactive imagination, but so what if that Snorack thing doesn't exist. She's just a little into having imaginary creatures. I think it's kind of cute actually. I think that you're just jealous. And if you _fancy me_ why don't you just say so, instead of using Victor the Crumb to make me jealous. Come on! Come out and say it!" Ron said hostile. Hermione gasped offended.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She said offended.

"Oh really?" Ron said hotly. Hermione turned up her nose, and started to speak.

"Really! I…mmmph!" Ron grabbed her head, and gave her a long kiss. When he finally pulled away. He looked at Hermione. She was frozen, and her jaw fell open.

"Look Hermione. I'm new to this dating thing, and I want to try seeing a few other girls, to see what going out with different ones are like. I don't know if I'm ready for a commitment now, but mum said that sometimes girls will do odd things to show a boy that she is interested in them. Like how you talk about Victor all the time to make me jealous. I don't think that we should hide the fact that our just friends persona is just a façade. I really have feelings for you. Well…like I said, this dating thing is really weird to me, so I want to start slow. Do you want to go to the first Hogsmead weekend with me as my date? Hermione…Hermione…?" Ron waved his hand in front of her face.

"Sure Ron, I understand. Take it slow. Hogsmead would be great. I have to go to…somewhere." She said in a robotic tone, as she stumbled up the stairs, a slight smile on her face. Harry looked at Ron, who then turned to Harry.

"I…I don't know what came over me. I just felt I had to say it. I could never repeat it. I feel really weird Harry." Ron said queasy. Harry patted him on the back. Its okay if your late tomorrow Ron, but are you sure that your not ready for a commitment? I mean Hermione and you blatantly have deep feelings for each other." Harry said in a caring tone.

"That's just what I mean Harry. I _do_ care about her. I'm sure that we'll end up together, but I don't want to go through my entire life without having even been out on a single date with another girl. I really can't explain it to you; I just want the experience of dating casually." Ron finished.

"No problem Ron. But make sure that you get to the pitch some time tomorrow; it's our last one before our actual practice match with Hufflepuff on Friday. I've got some new ideas, for some aggressive plays that will put us ahead in the game. But we'll go easy on them for the practice match.

At lunch Harry, Ron, and Neville were enjoying their lemon pie. Hermione had not been seen since Ron gave her the kiss. Harry found himself looking over at the Ravenclaw table for Cho Chang. She wasn't in there. A couple of Ravenclaw girls with Red, white, and black armbands were passing out pink leaflets. One of them was none other than Marietta Edgencombe. Lori Sanchez, a Gryffindor seventh year, with impossibly dark hair, a pointy nose, olive completed skin, and a notebook with pink leaflets sticking out of it came up to the three of them. She was wearing one of the red armbands with a white circle in the middle, and a black water drop symbol in it, on her arm. She smiled and extended her hand to Ron and Neville. "Hello Weasley, Hello Longbottom, how are you today?" she said with a cheery voice. Harry extended his hand but Lori pulled hers away casually, without looking at him.

"Very good Lori, how are you, and how was your holiday?" Ron asked. Lori's smile became even bigger.

"It was great; I've spent the summer learning about my ancestors from Spain, and reading up on the teachings of my favorite author, Ian Watson. He's a motivational speaker, and a profit of sorts. He has a lot to say about how the near future is going to be. What we can expect and what our part is going to be in it. He talks about our responsibilities to the wizarding world. I've been to several of his seminars, they are sooo inspiring. He's also written several books. He's going to speak in Hogsmead the first weekend were allowed there. It will be free to hear him, but by invitation only. You two should go. I wanted to give you a few leaflets with some important information on them. Including a list of his books, and interviews. Will the two of you read over this material? It may just save the Wizarding world." She said happily, as she handed Neville and Ron each one of the flyers, and a ticket to the seminar. They began to read them.

"That sounds interesting. I'd like one too please." Harry said politely. Lori didn't look at Harry. But continued facing Ron and Neville as she spoke.

"It's for invitation only, and I only have a set amount for a set amount of people." She said her expression unreadable.

"Well if he's claiming to be a profit…I'm really not interested. I've had enough of Divinization with that silly nuttier of a teacher Professor Trelawney." Ron said. Lori laughed.

"Oh, no Weasley. Not that kind of Profit. I mean one that can shape the future through action. We all have a duty to make the wizarding world a more acceptable place for certain people. There is too much Muggle influence in our schools, and the worlds need to continue to be separated, for the good of both worlds. It's about the importance of not mixing the races. Wizarding and Muggle." Lori said proudly. Ron, Neville and Harry gave blank expressions.

"What do you mean not mixing the races Lori?" Ron asked.

"Simple, it's important for the wizarding community to stay true to its heritage. Their was a time when the wizarding world didn't allow mud…err…muggle-borne people in positions at the ministry. And now it seems their taking over. We need to politely explain to them that their presents are not wanted here. Their kind will never produce people who are as good as ours in quantity. Oh there may be a few exceptions to the rule, but not much. Now you two both coming from fine upstanding pureblood families yourselves, I knew that you would be interested in maintaining a world with less muggle interaction in it." Lori finished. Ron gave her a disgusted look.

"Well you thought wrong Lori! I'm not big into maintaining a world with less muggle-borne's in it. I don't care about stuff like that.

"Really, I'm simply asking you to take pride in something that you are and will continue to be long after you leave Hogwarts. Muggle-borne's can never expect to be true citizens of our world, surly you two must know that discrimination is a good thing, I mean look how long our world has been separated from the muggle world. Ron, our mothers know each other, and I've been to your house before. Hasn't your own mum complained about your father's obsession with muggle affairs? Hasn't she referred to muggles in general with an air of distaste before? And that was just over tea." Lori finished.

"Look she was referring to the ways that muggles do some things, that's all. She likes my friend Hermione, and her parents, and she's got no problem with muggle borne attending Hogwarts. She just doesn't like muggles in large groups. My mum doesn't have a problem with Muggles at all. Most people like them." Ron shot back defensively. Lori sighed.

"Ron…we all have different levels of tolerance for Muggle interference. Now I know that you have Muggle friends, and believe me, I'm not so hateful that I haven't associated with them myself. Why…we even had one in our home once. But if you think that most pureblood people agree with you, you're very much mistaken, and if you think that no one in your family shares any of Dr. Ian Watson's and my views, than send an owl asking your mum if she thinks that we should reveal ourselves to the Muggle world. Or ask her if we should start acting like them or giving up our way of life for them, because they are offended by our use of magic." Lori finished. Ron's face was turning beat red by now, and he pointed an accusing finger at Lori.

"Lori, we are not going to have to ever give up our ways of doing things to appease the Muggles, and My mum just doesn't like some of the way that they do things because, they are so foreign to her. And the worlds have to be separated because…because…err, Neville, tell Lori why they are separated?" Ron stammered the last part out. Neville reflected for a moment.

"Well…I think because the Muggles used to burn us alive along time ago." Neville said weakly. Lori gave Neville a pat on the shoulder.

"Very good Neville. You see Ron. Even the Muggles think we should not have anything to do with each other. It's just a matter of keeping ourselves safe from savages, who would kill us. I mean who really knows where the loyalty of the muggle-borne lie. They could be conspiring against people like you and me right now." Lori lectured. Harry sat up and cleared his throat.

"Err excuse me Lori, but look at me for instance. I've been going to this school for six years now, and not to toot my own horn, but I think I've done pretty well here. I defeated You Know Who three times, and haven't caused the purebloods any problems. In fact Ron and Neville here are two of my best friends, and their both pure blood. They don't have a problem with me, so why should you?" Harry asked trying to maintain an aire of politeness. Lori Turned to Harry now and looked him in the eye.

"Of coarse were all grateful that you defeated You-Know-Who on those two occasions Potter, and it's nice that two purebloods have been charitable to befriend you, but as for not causing purebloods any problems, didn't you attack Draco Malfoy, and two other purebloods on the train coming here without provocation, and also in your fourth year as well on the train leaving Hogwarts? Causing the three of them to be rushed to St. Mungoes? Lori asked slyly. Harry looked embarrassed.

"Look I was provoked into attacking them in my fourth year after Malfoy boasted about You-Know-Who coming back, and calling me a mud blood, and saying that Diggory deserved to die for being a half-blood. And as for this last time…well that's a mistake that I regret. I just went off on him because…well I guess I have no excuse. I'm sorry it happened." Harry finished. Lori stuck up her nose.

"Humph! I guess we purebloods are not allowed to express our opinions around you. Oh! I admit that what Draco said about Diggory was wrong, but I hope that we purebloods don't have live in fear of being blasted with a jinx every time we say how we feel about something. And as for you blasting the three of them on the train this year, well I guess that's just more proof that you're a real danger to the rest of us students, like the papers said last year. And by the way. Saying your sorry doesn't make up for the attack. I guess as long as your at this school, all of us purebloods are in danger. Ron was still red in the face. By this time several students were listening in on the conversation.

"**Look Lori. I blasted Draco and his mates in our fourth year as well, as did my brothers."** Ron interjected. Lori gestured to Ron with an open hand.

"You see Ron! He's being a bad influence on you, getting you to attack your own kind. It's sad what the Muggle-borne are making some of us do to each other." Lori finished.

"Harry did not influence me to zap Draco at all. I did it because he's a stupid son of a Death Eating git, and he had it coming." Ron shouted. Lori for the first time had a look of anger on her face.

"**Look Ron Weasley**, Luscious Malfoy was under the imperious curse if he was doing You-Know-Who's biding. He has contributed a lot to humanitarian charities over the years, and enough people know that he's innocent. That's why he's in a cell at the ministry of Magic, and not at Azkaban. He's being set up by the mud…gle borne and their supporters for espousing his beliefs. And we don't really know about You-Know-Who returning for sure anyway. I read the interview. You two never actually saw him, and neither did anyone else but Potter, and the Head Master. And with respect to his position, everyone knows that he coddles the muggle-borne. It makes me wonder if Potter doesn't have him under the imperious curse. Harry jumped up on the table, and gave a shout for Lori to shut up. She and a few other students jumped startled.

"**What are you going to do Potter…attack me like you did Malfoy and the others?" **Lori said backing away, a worried look on her face. Before Harry could speak Professor Sprout, the Hufflepuff head of House, and Herbology teacher, came up and yelled at Harry to get down.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Sanchez, what the bloody hell is going on here?" she said. Harry tried to calm himself. He stammered out the words through gritted teeth, pointing at Lori as he spoke.

"This racist…_person_… has been agitating the three of us with her hateful opinion. She's been agitating me on, and claims that I have the head master under the imperious curse." Professor Sprout gave Miss Sanchez a suspicious look and raised her eyebrow.

"Really Miss Sanchez, is this true?" she asked. Lori lowered her head, and spoke quietly.

"I was just expressing my opinion about the need for purebloods to keep with our own kind. And the need to keep Muggle-borne and half bloods out of important positions in our society. And I was only suggesting about Harry using the imperious curse on the head master. I mean he seems to be pretty biased in favor of muggle-borne students I simply think that maybe Mr. Potter is possibly shaping his attitude in his way. I didn't accuse. I simply stated a hypothesis. Anyway it looked like Potter was about to attack me. I guess that the papers were right last year." Lori looked around at the students who had gathered to hear the debate, and continued at a slightly higher volume. "I mean…everyone knows about the three Slytherins that he attacked on the train." Lori finished. Professor sprout folded her arms in front of her, and shot Lori an angry look.

"Miss Sanchez! I think it is a horrible thing to even suggest that a student at this school would ever use such a curse. The Head Master is not under the influence of anyone, and I'll remind you that he treats every student as an equal. It doesn't matter to him pure-blood or half-blood, or muggle-borne. Also you need to remember that Mr. Potter saved the entire wizarding world last year, by defeating You-Know-Who, and that's hardly the action of someone who's a danger to other students. And as far as you having a problem with Muggle-borne's having important positions in the wizarding world…well I've been the Herbology teacher here for seventeen years, and I think I'm doing a pretty good job." Professor Sprout finished. Lori's eyes grew wide.

"What? You mean that your not pure-blood? I thought that all the teachers at this school were pureblood. I mean…You have to be pureblood." She said shaken. Professor Sprout was livid at the blatant prejudice coming out Miss Sanchez.

"Miss Sanchez! I think that you need to keep your opinions to yourself. And I think that you need to spend three days detention helping me in the green houses, starting tomorrow.

"What! Oh come on! That's not fair." Lori protested, hating the idea of spending time with Professor Sprout, now that she knew that she was muggle-borne.

"Four days detention!" Professor Sprout shouted. Lori began to tear up, and sat back down. Professor Sprout turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter. Don't let things that people say get to you. Now I know about the situation on the train, but that's already been dealt with. But understand. No more attacks on students, or it will be more than losing points, or detention. Do you understand me?" Harry nodded. "Good. Now I have to finish my lunch, I…" Ron waved his hand.

"Professor, Lori was handing out this to us. I think that you should look into it. It looks like some hate filled material." Ron said handing Professor Sprout the leaflets, and ticket. Professor Sprout began to scan over the material.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley. I'll definitely look it over." She said as she walked back over to the Masters table. Harry, Ron, and Neville resumed conversation, and discussed the events that just unfolded. Several other students were doing the same thing, most in a civil tone, but some were arguing with others about what had happened. Most were arguing in Harry's defense, but a few were pointing to some pink leaflets, and arguing in favor of Lori. Harry was starting to really get aggravated.

"I can't believe it. Why did the hat put _her_ in Gryffindor? Only good students go in our house. No bad student has ever been in this House. She should have been put into Slytheren with the rest of the stuck-up pureblood prudes." Harry finished. Ron looked uncomfortable.

"Actually Harry, Worm-tail was in Gryffindor wasn't he? I mean you told me about what Sirius had said. And we don't know that no other bad wizards came from Gryffindor, or any of the other houses besides Slytheren." Ron said. Harry just shook his head.

"Well I have to think that Worm-Tail and Sanchez are the only exceptions to the rule in Gryffindor." But just then Harry looked at the other end of the table to see Devin Smith, a fourth year Gryffindor boy handing out pink leaflets to a few other students, who were leaving the great hall. He wore a red armband, with the black water drop symbol in it. "Oh great. Look guys, we have to get to Potions." Harry stood up to leave. Ron and Neville stood up to follow just as Harry started off, still looking back at them.

"Look out Harry!" Ron shouted too late. Harry tripped over something and fell forward on the floor of the great hall. He looked back to see he had fallen over Mrs. Norris, who gave him a angry hiss. Harry raised a fist at her.

"Go away you bloody nucences. I'm tired of you. Miss Norris simply growled at him. Harry felt some one rush past him, and saw Filch sweep up his beloved cat.

"There…there poor baby. I won't let the mean boy hurt you. You poor baby to have to go through so much, not being let out of the office in over a week." Filch turned to Harry. "Why don't you watch where you're going Potter?" Harry frowned.

"What do you mean not let out of the office in a week? Mr. Norris was spying on me since I got here." Harry complained. Filch gave him an angry look.

"No she wasn't, she was…well you were probably up to no good. Just leave my cat alone Potter." Harry threw up his hands and left to walk to potions class. Ron caught up with him half way to the class. As they passed the library's open door Harry caught a glimpse of Cho Chang pouring over several large books, and writing on some parchment. She looked deep in her work. Harry stopped and looked at Ron. Hey Ron. I'll catch up with you. Okay. Ron nodded, and headed off toward Potions class, as Harry walked into the library.


	18. Chapter 18

xHx: Thanks again for the interest. I'm glad to keep the story fresh for you. But it will be a while before the history of Marietta's lover is revealed, unless someone well versed in mythology can figure it out. But I hope no one does, because that would spoil the surprise.

Black's Phoenix: Yea, barely restraint, because of other accusations that he's mental, and we also see that it's not always about Gryffindor good/ Slytheren bad. Harry just had a bit of pent up rage that accumulated with him needing to tear into Malfoy.

Summet: Glad to see it's keeping your interest. Hope you liked the chapter from Marietta's point of view.

Here it is! Finally! The chapter where Harry and Cho really get to talk. My head was about to explode. But we see that at least for now that Harry and Cho have different ideas about what each other wants. And Hermione and Ron also have some conflict of interest that will need to be ironed out. I hope everyone likes, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

**Chapter 18: Fear of a Commitment**

Cho Chang was deep into her book as Harry walked towards her. She was still beautiful to him and that feeling in his stomach came back, but more subtle than last year. He wasn't in love with her. She was just a crush last year, and really there wasn't much to her personality, but he still couldn't help admiring her physical beauty. He gazed at her enchanting almond-shaped eyes, her cute button nose, soft olive complection skin, and beautiful raven-black hair. Her face carried the same sadness that it had so often since Harry had known her. She was the only student in the library, and the librarian was in the back putting up some books. Cho was focusing so hard on reading that she didn't even notice him walk up to her. Harry concentrated on the first words carefully before he spoke, as things had not been left well between the two of them last year.

"Um, hello Cho. How was your summer?" He asked softly. Cho jumped with surprise. And tried to stammer out a reply.

"Oh! Harry…I…you startled me. Uh… my summer? It was just okay. She lied. "How was yours?" Harry shrugged.

"Oh, you know, okay." He lied as well. "May I sit?" He asked politely. Cho's mouth dropped open. Her stomach churned inside, and her head felt numb. She was glad she was sitting, because she knew that if she tried to get up her legs would fail her. She couldn't believe that Harry wanted to sit by her.

"**God yes!"** She blurted out instantly embarrassed. "I mean yes, please." She said in a voice she tried to keep calm. Harry did so with a slight smile on his face. Harry looked over at Cho's parchment. It was five feet of notes in very small handwriting, dealing with potions, and diseases. The book that Cho had been reading from was very thick and smelled of new paper. It didn't look like a book that one would find in the Hogwarts library at all. Harry closed it, keeping his finger between the pages so Cho wouldn't lose her place. "What are you reading Cho?" He asked at the same time reading the title: **The Oxford Cancer Institute: Advanced Brest Cancer Treatment Medical Files Volume 4.** Cho looked embarrassed and pulled the book away from Harry, putting it in her book bag. Harry pulled his hand back.

"Oh. I…I'm just doing some research, for…a class. For potions class. We have to study Muggle…um…drugs. Yes that's it; we have to study how muggles make potions called drugs." Cho said nervously. Harry was taken aback by Cho's behavior, but remembered that Luna had told him that Cho thought that he hated her, and Luna had also said that Cho and Marietta were no longer friends, but bitter enemies.

"Um look Cho… I haven't seen you in the great hall since the feast. Where have you been?" Harry asked. Cho's eyes went wide.

"You mean…you were looking for me?" Cho said with a weak smile beginning to come across her face.

"Well…kind of. I mean I noticed that you were not at your table. Look last year…we left things…well, I talked to Luna, and she told me that you thought I hated you. It's not true. And I'm glad to hear that you and Marietta are not friends anymore. I just wanted to let you know that I don't want things to be weird between us anymore. We can be friends. I mean if you would like." He finished casually. Cho's heart was beating so fast that it hurt. It felt as if it had risen up into her throat. She grabbed Harry from across the table, in a tight embrace as tears fell from her eyes.

"Thank you Harry! Thank you Sooo much!" she cried. Harry could swear that he felt his ribs crack under Cho's squeeze; she seemed very strong for someone so small. He put his arms around her, and gave her a pat on the back.

"No problem. I'm glad that we can be friends again. Um so where have you been at every breakfast, lunch, and dinner?" Harry asked recalling again that Cho had not been in the great hall at anytime to his knowledge.

"Oh, I've been here mostly. I have to catch up on work. I'm really behind. I…didn't do very well last school year. I need to make it up. And well I've been using some of my lunch periods to try and catch Marietta doing something well bad." Cho finished. Harry gave her a strange look. What do you mean…bad?" he asked curious. Cho looked around the room, only the librarian, who was in the back of the room reading, and Filches cat, who could not understand what they were saying were present. She leaned forward to Harry speaking in a whisper.

"Well… the other night, Luna and I…we were hiding under a table in our common room…and well we overheard Marietta and Daniel Forester talking about a bewitched room in the castle. Someone that Marietta was seeing in it, that's what they were talking about." Harry interrupted her.

"Bewitched room? What kind of room?" Harry asked.

"Well I think it's a ghost proof room. The two of them, Marietta, and Danielle were talking about how the ghost mite come across it, and they were worried about the head master finding out. And yesterday I came across the Gray Lady sniffing, and licking the stone on Filches office, and asked her what she was doing. She said that over the summer, Filche's twin brother had been here with Marietta, and bewitched the office, to make it ghost proof. Well in doing so it became something that the ghost could touch, and smell, and even taste. So they hang around there a lot until Filch shoos them away. The Gray Lady said it was like euphoria just to touch the walls of the office. But Filch wants to keep it private whatever's in there." Cho finished. Harry had a look of shock on his face.

"So it was _Marietta_ with Filch and his brother over the summer" Harry said. Cho looked surprised.

"Oh! You knew about it already? I just found out yesterday when I talked to the Gray Lady." Cho said. Harry told Cho about his conversation with Sir Nicolas at the beginning of the week.

"So who ever she was going to go see was in Filches office that night…I think…" Cho interrupted him.

"Oh no Harry, Marietta was talking about a second bewitched room. One in a part of the castle that the ghost usually didn't visit." Cho stated. Harry scratched his head.

"Second room? Where?" He asked. Cho gave a shrug.

"I don't know. I've been following her around every other day, but she hasn't done anything out of the ordinary. Luna's watched her on the days when I had to do work like today." Cho stated. The five minute warning bell rang for the students to get to class. Cho started putting up her books, and stood up uneasy as she was still in awe of being in Harry's presents.

"Wait, where are you going?" Harry asked. Cho looked at him confused.

"Well we have to get to class. That was the warning bell." She stated plainly. Harry put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Hold on I want to hear the rest of this. Let's skip class." Harry said quietly. Cho gave him a terrified look.

"But…but…Harry that's against the rules. We can't do that!" Cho said nervously. Harry gave her a pat on the back.

"Don't worry we won't get caught. I know just the place to hide." He said confident. Cho gave him a disapproving look.

"Well that's not the point Harry. It's against the rules. I mean if every student went around doing that all the time no one would get any of their work done. And well…as a sixth and seventh year, we have to set a good example to others." Cho said pleadingly. Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He shook his head.

"Come on Cho don't be a goodie two shoes. Haven't you ever broken the rules before?" Harry asked. Cho gave an embarrassed look.

"Well twice, but I promised myself it would never happen again. I felt so guilty." She said ashamed as she started for the door. Harry followed her and saw Mrs. Norris watching them.

"Err, maybe your right Cho. It would be best to go to our classes right now, as to not break the rules." Harry said very audible. Then he put his lips close to Cho. She could feel his warm breath against her cheek, and felt that she mite faint. Harry whispered in her ear. I'll send you an owl tomorrow night. Stay awake late. Don't tell anyone, Okay?" He finished. Cho felt dizzy and although she was very happy she felt she might throw up. She nodded her head and Harry gave her a firm handshake before he left down the opposite direction of where she was to go.

Cho staggered into class and sat down and opened her transfiguration book. She wasn't thinking about anything but her conversation with Harry, and she did not notice the other students confused looks, as many of them stared at her. She was in class for fifteen minutes before professor Flitwick shook the sleeve of her robe, and yelled…

"**Miss Chang!"** Cho jumped from her stupor.

"What? Oh sorry, is it my turn to answer?" Professor Flitwick looked at her very concerned.

"Yes, it's your turn to answer Miss Chang. The question is this: In this room one student is very different than all the rest. One student does not belong in this class. I want you to look around and tell me which student doesn't belong here." he finished. Cho looked around at the other students in the room. It didn't take her long to find out which student did not belong, as she observed that she was in a class full of eleven year olds, wearing crest of green and silver, with a snake on them, or crest with yellow and black, with a badger on them. Also odd was that Professor Flitwick was teaching a Transfiguration class. It dawned on Cho very quickly that she had entered the wrong classroom, and not even realized it.

"Oh Professor, I'm sorry. I didn't realize…I'll just get back to my class now." She said nervous. Professor Flitwick gave another concerned look.

"Miss Chang, are you okay? You seem a bit lost, are you ill?" He said. "Cho hung her head.

"No Professor, I just…I wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry." She said. Flitwick just shook his head, and frowned.

"Miss Chang, you have to stay focused. I know that you're still upset over what happened at the end of term the year before last. Believe me, we all regret it happened. And I know that the two of you were close, but you have to put it behind you. At some point the grieving process has to stop, and a year is quite enough time. Now I think that professor McGonagall is waiting for you. Just stay focused in her class. I'm not going to take off any points, as I expect that she will be doing that, but I would remind you that I wouldn't' t mind having the House cup in our common room for a change. So _please _try and keep your head about you this year, every point counts. Cho nodded her head.

"I understand Professor. It's not about Cedric, but I'll make up any points I lose today. I promise.

"Good Miss Chang, now…get the hell out of my class, I'm trying to teach. He smiled. Cho left in a run for Transfiguration class around the corner.

"Harry was having trouble focusing in Potions as well. He had brushed against Cho's soft skin when she touched him, he had felt the warmth of her body against him when they hugged, and he had caught a whiff of Cho's hair, when he had whispered into her ear. It had smelled like vanilla, he had even tasted one of her tears as they hugged, and all that combined, had made him a bit dizzy with thought. Did he still have feelings for her? No. He couldn't possibly…she's a beautiful girl, and he would have felt the same if any beautiful girl had given him a hug. But there was something else. It was a feeling that he couldn't describe. No. He told himself, she'll most likely start crying again if you get back together with her. I promised myself that I would have a good year at school, and being romantic with Cho would just complicate things. I have to start casually dating. "I'm glad I let Cho know that I just wanted to be friends." He said to himself under his breath. Now things won't be weird. And now I'll have some new clues to add to the mystery of what's been going on here this summer. Harry started thinking about what he would do to discover the secrete, he would have to sneak out one night soon. But when? Hermione, Ron and himself would meet with Hagrid on Saturday, maybe he could bring Cho. No, he thought, at some point they would discus _order_ business, and he wasn't allowed to let Cho know about that. She wasn't a bad person, but the company she keeps was still questionable, aside from Luna, Harry didn't know anything about her other friends, and even if Marietta and her were no longer speaking to each other, who knows how many other friends she mite have like that. Better to talk with Cho after he discussed things with Hagrid and the others. Harry made it through Potions class, and transfiguration and joined Ron and Hermione at dinner. They were arguing and the debate was heated.

"I don't understand why I'm not enough for you! Why can't you just be content with just me? Why do you want to shag every other girl in the school before you can commit to me?" Hermione said in a highly audible voice. Ron raised his hands in protest.

"Look Hermione, I'm not talking about shagging anyone, I just want to… to date other people as well. I mean I want to spend my first Hogwarts weekend at Hogsmead with _you._ You must believe me. I'm just not ready for what you want right now. But I want you to see other guys as well. I mean except for Victor. I want to end up with you, but I don't want you to be the only girl I ever dated. I just want to casual date for a while, that's all. And please keep your voice down a little. This is a private conversation. Ron stated exhausted.

"What's so wrong with being with just me? If you know that we are meant to be together, than why do you need to be with anyone else? I can make you happy. We've wasted so much time already, that we could have spent together." Hermione pleaded.

"What did I miss?" Harry asked a bit nervous to enter the fray. Hermione gave him a hurt look.

"Ron doesn't want to commit to a permanent relationship with me. He wants to go gallivanting around lusting after every piece of arse in school. Harry tell him he's being unreasonable." Hermione pleaded.

"That's not what I want at all! Look, I've only just turned sixteen, and well I just want to play the field for a bit. I want to date you a lot Hermione, but I want to well date other girls a little as well, just for a little while. You know have a taste of the different spices of life. Harry tell her that she's over reacting, and that we have plenty of time for… well commitment. We're only both of us just turned sixteen. Harry knew that he had stepped into a virtual hornets nest, but needed to help his friends to come to a peace. He sighed.

"Well…um…Hermione, didn't you just say that you were okay with Ron and you taking it slow awhile ago? I mean…I thought that you two had already agreed on it." Harry said diplomatically. Hermione gave a gasp.

"I… I was in shock! I didn't know what to say. But now… now I'm sure that we need to be together. It's true that I was using Victor to get Ron jealous, because I wanted to hear him say I love you to me. But he wants to date other people. He wants me to date other people. Why Ron?" Hermione said still in an audible that carried over to the Ravenclaw table next to them. Some students from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were both looking towards the commotion. Ron was turning red with embarrassment.

"Look Hermione, please…be quite." He said. Hermione gave him a last look of pleading.

"Ron, I don't want to be you're on and off again girlfriend. You have a choice to make me exclusively, or anyone but me. And you can't go out with that…that…Loopy Lunatic at all…I forbid It." she said in an authoritive tone. Ron looked at a couple of Gryffindor boys snickering at his chastising by Hermione, and felt he was losing face. He turned to Hermione with a look of anger.

"Look Hermione! Your not going to tell me what to do, and who I can and can't see, your being over dramatic! I will never understand girls till the day I die. And if you don't want to go out with me fine. I'll take Luna. You can come back when your ready to act like a mature, reasonable adult, and not an over pretentious git!" Ron finished at the limits of his patients. Hermione started to tear up.

"And you can go to hell Ronald Weasley!" She said as she stormed off in tears. A couple of Gryffindor girls who were listing in on the conversation followed Hermione out of the great hall to lend moral support. Harry looked at Ron.

"Err…look Ron, I understand about you wanting to just casually date for a while, but… well it's just that Hermione is right about you two having wasted a lot of time already. I mean how long has their been an awkwardness between you two that just screamed intimacy. I just think that you should maybe consider if you really want to casually date at this time." Harry said calmly. Ron looked at Harry seriously.

"Harry if I committed to Hermione it would be for life, so I don't want to do it. We're young, and we have all the time in the world. She's just being well unreasonable, and I'm just not in the mood to deal with it right now. She'll eventually come to her séances, but until she does, I'm not going to play her drama queen game, she'll come back to me, and I'll have dating experience under my belt, so that I'll know what to do when I'm with her." Ron stated flatly. "Um by the way Harry, who are you taking out for the first Hogsmead weekend?" Ron asked curiously. Harry gave it a moment of thought.

"Well…I thought maybe Fiona Burrows, the Slytheren girl I met at Diagon Alley. What about you Ron?" Harry countered. Ron thought for a minute as well.

"I think either Luna, or Padma Patil." He said. "Oh! Harry, how did it go with Cho?" Ron asked trying to steer the subject in another direction. Harry smiled happily. Well I made it perfectly clear that I just wanted to be friends, and that I didn't want things to be weird anymore. So were cool. She had some interesting stuff to tell me but I want to wait until we talk to Hagrid to give details." Harry said. "Oh! But you remember that I told you about my chat with Sir Nicholas the other day?" Harry asked. Ron nodded his head. Harry leaned in closer to him. "Well apparently the Ravenclaw girl who was with Filch and his brother was Marietta Edgencombe.

Cho sat on her bed smiling a genuine smile for the first time in what felt like a very long time. She was truly happy. And the tears that now ran down her cheeks were tears of joy. Harry wanted to be friends again, and Harry had looked for her each day, at her table, and he had noticed her gone for every meal. He still cared about her. At least she thought he still cared about her. Had Harry and his girlfriend broken up? Cho didn't know, but she hoped that they would, with a twinge of guilt. She had indeed lost twenty points for being late to transfiguration class, but she didn't care. She was happier than she had been in a long while, and she would work hard to make up the points later. The only downside was that she could not concentrate on the extra transfiguration homework that Professor McGonagall had given her, because she would constantly drift off in a day dream of Harry. She reached over to her night stand and picked up her already repaired picture of Harry, wishing that she had a more recent one. If she could only remember the name of the Gryffindor boy who always had the camera, maybe she could get a new one. She admired every detail in it, and looked around to make sure that no one was at the door, and then kissed the glass over the picture. "I miss you Harry." She said to the photo. Cho couldn't wait until tomorrow night, and she wished that she could have breakfast in the great hall, but knew that she had too much work to do. Eventually unable to concentrate on her assignment she fell asleep with a good dream for a change. One about being with Harry. Cho would have a well deserved rest this night.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: The Not so Daring Adventures of Cho and Luna.**

It was around midnight.Cho waited in the dark, with great anticipation in her dorm room for a message from Harry. She had not gotten to see him but in passing all day and again found herself in the library at breakfast and lunch finishing Professor McGonagall's assignment. At one point Marietta had stepped in to insult her, by saying that she had a flat nose, but she didn't care, she was feeling beautiful, and it had been a good day. She had even made up half her points lost in the Transfiguration class in Defense against Dark Arts. She had wished that Harry was teaching it though. The only bad thing about the day so far was that Cho's stomach was churning from so many missed meals. But now she was waiting for something that was going to make her feel a lot better. An actual letter from Harry. She had left the window open waiting for an owl, and had a few treats ready for its arrival. She was nervous and pacing the floor. Beverly, Nancy and Erica were a bit annoyed at Cho keeping them awake. Finally Beverly spoke.

"Cho what the bloody hell are you doing? Go to bed! It's late and it's cold, and were all freezing because you have the window open." Beverly complained.

"I'm not cold." said Nancy. Beverly gave a slight chuckle.

"You're never cold, Eskimo." Beverly joked.

"No, but Cho, your constant pacing the floor is keeping me awake. Why don't you pace in the common room. Cho stopped pacing, and sat down at the make up table on the internal wall.

"I'm sorry guys, really. I just need a few more minutes. I'm expecting and owl." Cho said apologetically.

"Well you could probably get it tomorrow morning with the rest of the mail. Why don't you get some sleep?" Erica put in. Cho felt bad to be causing her friends distress.

"I'm sorry guys. Really. Just five more minutes. I promise." Cho pleaded.

"Whatever, five more, than off to bed." Nancy finished. Suddenly Luna came in the room and although she tried to be quite, she was breathing heavily, and started shouting in the dark for Cho in a loud whisper. Cho beckoned her over to the makeup table with a softer whisper, and when Luna whispered in Cho's ear.

"Cho! Marietta is going down to the common room. I think that she's going to leave again. Come on, we have to go see what she's up to. Luna said. Cho looked worried. She and Luna had been hoping to catch Marietta at something all week, but never were able to. Now she was sneaking out, and it was past curfew. Cho hesitantly closed the window to the outside of the dorm room and followed Luna down the hall. As the two girls descended the curving stairs, they saw four flashes, in quick succession that looked as if someone was taking photos down stairs. They stayed around the corner out of sight, and could not see the people in the common room, but could hear them. Barely audible voices were heard down stairs, and Cho and Luna had to strain to listen to what was being said.

"…there is also a possibility that the head master is going to make an announcement tomorrow banning our information packets. And that he's going to speak out against us. Professor Flitwick already told me that we're forbidden from wearing our armbands. Marietta…what are we going to do?" came the voice of Danielle.

"Don't worry Danielle. We already have the information passed to all the necessary students, and it was all part of the plan in the first place to take the movement underground. Now you see though how biased the Head master is against us. This will be an example that we can point out about his favoritism to the mudbloods. Do you see how he's trying to keep the purebloods down? He's a traitor to his own race." Marietta said with a slight tone of anger.

"But poor Lori, having to spend four days detention with that slime of a teacher, because she implied that the Head Master was under Potters control. It's not fair." Danielle complained.

"Of coarse Danielle. That's the whole point I was making about the mudbloods trying to silence us. Its' a plot they have been at for years, but soon things will turn in our favor. Caoimhe and Pollyanna have already agreed to take the pledge, and soon others will want to join us. By outlawing our literature, Dumbledork is only making it more appealing to purebloods. It's like telling people not to push the preverbal red button. They can't resist just reading it, even if they don't agree with everything in it." Marietta finished.

"Yes, well I'll just be happy when our first Hogsmead weekend gets here. Once we meet with Professor Watson we can get an idea of what to do about the Head Master. How to get him out of our hair." Danielle said.

"Yes, well… first things first. Potter is our primary concern, he is a danger to us, and we need to show the other students that he is a danger to them as well. Once their hero has fallen from grace_, again_, we will have a free hand to take care of some of the more undesirables in the school. I'll finalize the plans for Phase one tonight. I want everyone ready if their services need to be called on. They all have to be one hundred percent committed. Their can be no turning back from this point. Are _you_ ready Danielle, to do anything for the society, and our race?" Marietta continued in a serious tone.

"I am Marietta. You know I am." Danielle replied in a proud voice.

"Good! I have to go meet him now. I'll feel you in on everything tomorrow. Have everyone meet at the usual place. We'll wait until after Lori finishes her detention. I don't want her to miss anything." Marietta continued.

"Marietta, what about the ghost? Are you sure your memory Charm will work on one of them if you come across them?" Danielle asked nervously.

"Don't need to give them a memory charm. I've got _this!_" Marietta said in a jovial tone. After a moment Danielle let out an excited yelp, that Marietta chastised her for.

"Shhuuu. Be quite, and don't tell anyone, not even anyone in the society." Marietta said.

"Can I try it on Marietta?" Danielle pleaded. "I've never seen one before."

"Danielle, it's not to be used for our personal enjoyment, The note said not to play around with it. I have to go, Goodnight." Marietta finished.

"Goodnight." said Danielle. Cho and Luna heard footsteps coming back up the stairs and ran as quietly as possible back down the hall to Cho's room. Cho peaked back around the edge of the door to see Danielle walk into her room alone at the opposite end of the hall. After a few minutes, Cho and Luna exited the room and sat in the hall as not to disturb Cho's roommates.

"I wonder what all that was about." Luna said. Cho frowned.

"I don't know, but it had something to do with Harry. And what ever Marietta is up to, I have a feeling it's more than just Danielle, and Miss Parkinson involved. We have to find out who this Lori friend of hers is, and then we'll at least know one more of her gang." Cho said. Luna gave a slight smile.

"I think I know who that is. Ron told me about it today. Professor Sprout gave one of the Gryffindor girls' detentions for arguing with Harry yesterday. I think her name is Lori. I know what she looks like; I saw part of the argument yesterday, but I didn't know it was with Harry until Ron told me today. Well are we going Cho?" Luna asked. Cho looked with her at a blank expression.

"Going where?" She asked. Luna rolled her eyes.

"Why to follow Marietta of course. This is what we've been waiting for." Luna said. Cho thought for a minute, a worried look on her face.

"Well, how are we going to find her? And I mean, what if we get caught. It's against the rules to be out past curfew. And I'm expecting an owl from Harry." Cho continued nervously. Luna put a hand on her shoulder.

"Look Cho, I know how you are about breaking the rules, but this is about Harry. I mean you know how much Marietta hates him. What if she's planning to hurt him?" Luna cautioned. The thought sent a shiver up Cho's spine. Luna didn't have to say anymore. The two of them headed off to the common room, and noticed that the pictures were again frozen. After they exited out the passage. Cho noticed that the outside painting was also frozen still. The two of them looked around. Marietta wasn't in sight.

"We should have left earlier. Now she's got a head start on us. I don't even know where to start looking. Maybe the library." Cho said in a worried tone.

"If we had left right after her, we would have run into Danielle. And you're the only student that would go to the library at this hour Cho. Were looking for a room that the ghosts usually don't go to. Some place out of the way. Any ideas?" Luna finished. Cho scratched her head, trying to think of an answer.

"Well… if I wanted to go to a place in the castle that no one else went to, than I'd choose the dungeon. The side opposite that the Slytherins have their quarters." Cho said unsure. Luna nodded in agreement.

"Well what side do the Slytherins have their quarters on?" asked Luna. Cho gave a shrug. The exact location of the Slytherins quarters was a mystery to all but themselves. "Alright then, we'll just have to look over the entire dungeon." Luna said assured she was making a wise decision.

"The entire dungeon? Tonight? Luna, Hogwarts is a big place, it would take us weeks. And how are we going to know the difference between a ghost proof room, and a non ghost proof room. All walls are solid to us. And we can't just go up to a ghost and ask them if they can help us look for the room. They would be obligated to report us for curfew violation." Cho said. Luna lowered her eyes.

"Your right Cho. I guess I didn't think about that. But what are we going to do. Luna said disappointed. A tear fell out of Cho's eye.

"Oh Luna, I really am worried about Harry, but I know we'll never be able to find Marietta tonight, we can't search the who dungeon. I failed Harry. I just wanted to help him, but I'm useless." Cho cried. Luna gave her a hug.

"Look Cho, we haven't failed anyone. We know that Marietta is up to something, and we know at least three of her gang. We know that there is a ghost proof room in this castle somewhere, and we can ask the Gray Lady to help us tomorrow when it's not past curfew. Cho wiped her eyes.

"Your right Luna, I… I'm sorry; I just want to help Harry. I lost my head." Cho said remorseful. "Lets get back inside, this was a mistake." Cho and Luna said the pass word in unison, but the portrait did not respond. They looked at each other, and gave each other a horrified expression. With the portrait frozen, the two of them were trapped out side. Cho was about to suggest that they hide in a corner until Marietta got back, to unfreeze the portrait, when Filch was heard walking down the hall.

"Come on Luna! Cho said nervously, we have to keep moving. Miss Norris will be able to sniff us out." Luna didn't need telling twice, and she followed Cho in the opposite direction of Filch. After they were sure that they were out of earshot of anyone, Luna asked Cho where they should hide while they waited for Marietta to return from wherever she went.

"Well… how about the library?" Cho asked innocently. Luna rolled her eyes.

"Why did I even bother asking", she said.

Cho and Luna spent their time in the library quietly pouring over several books that might contain blueprints to Hogwarts, and especially to the dungeons, hoping to find anything that might be a room that was out of the way in the dungeon. Only a single lantern provided any illumination. After a couple of hours Cho yawned, and stretched. She was looking depressed.

"Wow, it's amazing. I didn't realize how many of these books I've already read." Cho whispered. Luna just smiled at her.

"It's not so amazing. You practically live hear lately. And lets face it you've always been a bookworm." She joked. Cho's eyes lowered.

"Do you suppose he doesn't like girls who study a lot? Cho asked. Luna looked confused. (I mean more than usual)

"Who?" she asked.

"Well, Harry. What do you think he likes in a girl. I mean you… talked to him more than I did last year. How should I act to get him to like me?" Cho asked. Luna gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"I think that you should be yourself Cho. I think that Harry will like you for who you are. Maybe you could be a little more outgoing like you were the year before last, but besides that. Just be yourself." Luna comforted. Cho looked at her reflection in the glass of the lamp. "Well, I guess so." Cho said weakly.

"Come on we have to keep looking for a book that might hold a clue to this special room that Marietta was talking about" Luna said as she took another handful of books off the shelf, and put it on the already cluttered table. Cho helped her sort them out, and they each started on a separate book, about Hogwarts. It was amazing how many books there were, several yearbooks going back from hundreds of years ago. On one page of a yearbook from thirty years ago, Cho and Luna found a picture of Marietta's mum, who had been a student in Ravenclaw during her time in Hogwarts. Cho and Luna read on with interest in this particular book. It seemed that Marietta's mum was popular in her day, being on the student council, and being apart of several clubs, and societies. As Cho read Luna taped her on the shoulder.

"Um Cho. I have to go to the bathroom. Stay here, and keep the door locked, until I get back. I'll give three raps on the door when I come back, so you'll know it's me. If you need to go next I'll do the same. But I think it's safer if we go one at a time. Cho nodded and let Luna out, telling her to be careful.

Cho went back to her seat and continued reading over the yearbook with Marietta's mum in it. She was in so many pages, as she seemed to have garnished a lot of awards, and recognition. Cho could see why she was in Ravenclaw. She remembered seeing some of them adorn the walls of Marietta's house when Cho used to visit there. Cho turned another page, to see Marietta's mum in a picture with several other girls and boys in front of a flag with a teardrop on it. It was in black and white, so Cho could not know the colors of the flag, but the wizards and witches were all smiling and moving around in a jovial fashion. On witch in front had her hand on a book and looked to be taking an oath to a young wizard in a top hat. The caption read: Members of the "Society of Truth, Uniformity, Purity, Intellectualism and Domination, enjoy their annual banquet and swearing in the Hogwart's Auxiliary building. Cho then noticed a clipping of news paper folded up at the center of the page. She unfolded it and began to read. "Hogwart's Auxiliary building burns down in mysterious fire. No fatalities, but foul play suspected. The…" Rap, rap, rap! Cho jumped at the sound of the noise, she put her hand to her heart as it skipped a beat. She put the piece of newspaper in her pocket, and went to the door and let Luna in.

"Did you find anything out?" Luna asked. Cho nodded.

"Look lets get these books back on the shelves, and clean up a bit. Maybe the paintings are set right again, and Filch is in another part of the castle. I'll tell you about what I found tomorrow, at lunch." Cho said. Luna nodded, but put in a condition.

"Only if you're not thinking of taking lunch in the library." Luna smiled. Cho nodded with a smile, and picked up the yearbook, to take with her.

"What's this Miss Chang? Taking out a library book without permission? Shame on you!" Luna whispered. Cho had a look of guilt on her face, and seemed as if she wanted to put it back.

"I'm just kidding Cho. Good grief, Lighten up. Look it's to help Harry right?" Luna smiled.

"Yes, it really is." Cho whispered.

"And you intend to bring it back when you're done right?" Luna continued. Cho nodded sincerely. Luna gave her a pat on the back.

"Than let's go you wild, reckless, and crazy rebel you." Luna said jokingly. The two stopped off at the girl's lavatory, ignoring their previous decision to go one at a time, and continued back to the North Tower from there. Cho couldn't help but feel a little adventurous at sneaking around at night, past curfew, but she worried that if Harry found out he wouldn't approve of such behavior.


	20. Chapter 20

Summet: I hope you like this chapter mostly from Marietta's point of view. Thanks for staying interested.

xHx: Thanks so much for your support, I hope you get yahoo instant messenger soon. I would love to ask you some questions about the United Kingdom from time to time.

Black's Phoenix: My longest reader, I thank you as well. Yes, after reading "The Order of the Phoenix" again. I realized that they really didn't talk enough. So I had Cho think that Harry was always about following the rules, and that she believed that he would look down on her for breaking them. But she did kind of enjoy the adventure.

Tiyuri: Thanks for the review, what was your favorite chapter so far? You asked for the next chapter, and your wish is my command.

Well now Marietta has her final preparations underway in this chapter, I hope everyone likes it, I'm losing my mind doing this… and I didn't have much to lose. But I hope I didn't leave any plot holes. Take care, and enjoy.

**Chapter 20: Final Preparations**

The unseen figure walked quietly down the torch lit halls of the great castle, past shiny suits of armor, and empty classrooms. Marietta Edgencombe was hidden under the invisibility cloak that she had received from the society by way of her uncle. The cloak had come with a note warning her that it was only a loan to be used for society business only, and not her own personal entertainment. The note had further instructed that Marietta should tell no other student in the society about it as well. "Humph…well. I know I can trust Danielle at least to keep a secrete." Marietta thought to herself. Marietta walked down the hall at a quick pace, but stopped suddenly when she saw the image of the Fat Fryer floating passing through the wall on her left. She held her breath as he passed by close enough for her to reach out and touch him. Marietta finally let out a sigh after the ghost had passed through the wall on the opposite side of her. She made her way through several twisting mazes of dungeons, and entered in to a narrow corridor lit with torches, and lined with more suits of amour along it. She almost let out a shriek when she saw eight house elves marching two abreast in two columns of four toward her from the opposite end of the corridor. The corridor was so narrow that she had to squeeze against the wall by one of the suits of amour to get out of their way. As the column passed her one of the house elves at the end glanced her way, and came to a slow stop, letting the rest of the column continue down the hall without him. He seemed to be peering right in Marietta's direction. She began to sweat from fear and anticipation of being caught. Marietta wanted to reach for her wand and give the stupid thing the aver Kedavra curse, but she dared not move a centimeter. The house elf walked closer but appeared to be looking slightly to her left, at the suite of amour. Marietta turned her head to look at it as well, and she could not see why she why it was drawing the house elves attention. It was just an ordinary suit of amour, holding a double edged axe in its hands. She heard a snap, and the suit of amour began to glow pink. The glow vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and when it did the suit seemed cleaner, as if it had been freshly polished. The house elf turned back toward the direction that Marietta had come from and hurried to rejoin its mates, already out of sight.

Marietta breathed another sight of relief and headed back down the corridor. She continued through several passage ways and empty rooms until she had reached an empty room lit by a single torch. Under the torch was a single gray round rock, midway up the wall, with a black drop painted on it. Under the wall was a deep depression in the floor about one meter across. Marietta looked around to be sure she was alone, and then physically pushed the stone in. The wall melted down as if it were made of wax, but it did not cover the floor, but instead, was collected in the depression in the floor, underneath it. Finally the door had melted away entirely, except for the stone with the drop on it that was suspended in midair by magic. Marietta stepped across the depression into the smallest corridor she had yet encountered. She turned back around and pushed the stone in the other direction, and the wall melted back upward from the depression, and blocked out all light into the corridor. "Luminous!" Marietta said, and her wand light showed a very narrow and long passage ahead of her. She made quick speed to arrive at the other end, where the passage ended in a solid black wall of rock. This time she pushed against the wall, and it opened as a door.

"Who is it? Who's there?" The nervous voice of Filch came from inside.

"**Booo! I'm the ghost know as the Gray Lady of Ravenclaw! And I've found your hiding place!" **Came a deep spoken voice as the wall closed, and no one appeared in sight.

"Damn! It' can't be!" Cried Filch. Marietta gave out a sinister laugh as she pulled off her invisibility cloak. She gave him a sensual smile.

"Don't worry love, it isn't. I told you the ghost will never find this place, and I also told you that I was going to have the society send me an invisibility cloak remember?" She laughed. Filch, grabbed her and pined her against the wall hard. "Ow!" She cried.

"**I don't find anything _funny_ about this! Do you know what it's like to be this stupid git or his flea bitten cat all day? It's torcher!" **He yelled. Marietta had a look of fear in her eyes.

"You're…your hurting me love. Please stop." she pleaded. Filch let her go. And turned, and walked away from her.

"You can't imagine the torcher. I can't imagine how Filch does his job without magic! This bladder infection has me going to the pisser every fifteen minutes. You'd think he'd go to Madam Pomfrey for it. And that bloody cat of his. Hasn't he ever heard of flee dip?" Filch asked. Marietta hugged him from behind.

"I told you that you needed to find a replacement that we could keep down here. How is that coming?" she asked. Filch turned to her.

"I think I found someone that will be to your liking. And if so I want him here as soon as possible, than you will not have to worry about zapping your dear uncle with a memory charm every night. But first we have business to discuss, and what to do about the head master, and Potter." He said. Marietta sat down on the corner of the bed, and kicked her shoes off.

"Don't worry about the Head Master for now, he'll have to be allowed to continue his annoyance, for a short time, but Potter has to be dealt with tomorrow! I'm going to zap him with a memory charm at some point. He'll feel the need to go to the Quidditch Pitch early, even if it means skipping a class. I'll hide the body under the invisibility cloak, and you need to remove the cloak when you're done, so that his team can find him. Remember, as we discussed in my dear uncles office today, I want you to work hard to convince Gryffindor to play a violent game, and try to skirt around the rules, but don't encourage them to break them unless their _sure_ that they can get away with it. I found out that Madam Hooch will not be refereeing the game, but someone from my house, Jeremy Stretton. I toyed with the idea of giving him a memory charm, but I need his mind clear so that he can retell the story of what a cheat, and bad sport Potter is, and how he uses his team to bully poor Hufflepuff in the field. Just remember, to turn back into Mrs. Norris, when you're done, and get the hell out of there." Marietta said giving the final details of an already laid out plan. "Anything new to report about Chang?" She asked with curiosity? Filch had a frown on his face.

"She was talking to Potter and the Gray Lady today. I don't know what about. How did the insult go? Did she cry?" Filch asked. Marietta had a pissed off look on her face, and crossed her arms. It didn't have the desired effect I was hoping for, and I'm sure that I said it right. What do you suggest I say now?" Marietta asked. Filch rubbed his chin.

"Actually now I was going to suggest that you target her friends for abuse as well, and then after a while of that, offer her a truce: if she'll go to the society's meeting at Hogsmead in October, you, and the other purebloods will leave her and her friends alone. Once she sees what she has to gain by joining, she's sure to switch sides. Also, since you're so well connected, you might throw in a job offer at the Ministry when she graduates, as an added incentive. Who are some of her best friends that you can pick on?" He asked. Marietta closed her eyes in thought.

"Well there is Beverly Jones, but she's really tough. I don't want to mess with her, than there is Luna Lovegood. She's a pureblood, but really stupid. I don't like her, so I have no problem messing with her. Err…Nancy Cromwell; she's a mudblood, and Bill Forbs a fourth year Hufflepuff, he's a dork and doesn't have many friends. He wouldn't have had any if it hadn't been for Cho, so it will be easy to hurt him." The only problem is if Cho is pushed too far by way of attacking her friends, she can be violent. I learned that the hard way in my fifth year." Marietta finished. Filch raised an eyebrow.

"Really? What did she do?" He asked curiously. Marietta frowned.

"I don't like to talk about it, but it almost got her expelled. So, I want to hurt her, but I don't want to make her so mad that she goes off on me. It's a delicate balance. Anyway Like I said, the great thing is that Potter has already started our work for us, with the attack on poor Draco and his friends, so getting him to go off on other students will be just a continuation of that event. Last year the papers didn't have any instants of him going off on anyone to print, this year Potter is going to Azkaban for _murder." _Marietta said with an evil grin coming across her face at the thought. Now I want you to carefully select when to go off own another student, whenever you're replacing Harry. If you just go berserker on everyone, the head master will know something's up. Just react to any taunting, and to any slight joke about Harry, no mater how innocent. Also he has a brilliant friend named Ronald Weasley. At least his brothers are brilliant. He's a pureblood, so you need to probe Harry's mind carefully every so often to be able to talk with him." Marietta finished. She gave Filch a filtrations look. "Now, tell me love, who have you got in mind to replace yourself with?" Filch sat beside her.

"His name is Semis Finnegan, and I think you'll find he meets your requirements. He's a pureblood, and shall we say gifted in certain areas. He's also Potter's roommate." Filch said." He stated.

"Yuck!" Marietta said with a sour expression on her face. "The poor boy. They are not friends are they?" She asked. Filch smiled.

"_Not for much longer. _But there is another problem. I can't sleep in the Gryffindor dorms, and it's going to make someone suspicious."

"Why not love? I'm sure that they will not notice any change in his behavior when he's asleep." Marietta put in.

"I can't keep his form when I'm asleep, and his roommates are sure to notice what's in his bead in the morning if I'm not the first one up. Another thing is that I need to move my things out of here, if were going to keep him in here. I can't sleep in here either, and that leaves only one place." He finished, leaving Marietta to deduce the answer. She thought for a minute, and it came to her.

"Uncle Filches quarters, you poor dear." She said.

"Yes, I'll need him to help me move everything tomorrow night. The good news is that Filch and his stupid cat, are usually out prowling at night. I'm sure that he'll be happy to finally let his cat out of the office. She escaped the other day for a short time, but he quickly recovered her. Anyway it's a good thing that his office is attached to his quarters, so it will be convenient to enter, but I'm worried that I will be spotted by the ghost going into his office every night. They hang around there so often. Still I'll have to wait until he shoos them away. I'm not sure how I'm going to explain to the others in the room why, I'm sneaking out every night." Marietta smiled.

"Well, you'll just have to tell them that your going to meet a hot sexy Ravenclaw girl every night, for an intimate encounter, and make them jealous." She said. "But the question is how I am going to get him down here. I can't stun him; I would have to drag the body all the way down here. And getting Filch to help is out of the question, he would never agree to keep a pureblood boy in captivity. After I give him a memory charm, I can just say that I've been given instructions from the society to have you sleep in his quarters, to be away from Potter, and that we sent the real Semis Finnegan home to take private instruction from a society private tutor. I'll tell him that Finnegan and his family are in the society, and that it was agreed upon by Professor Watson, and they informed me, and told me to tell uncle Filch, and that he was to give you every courtesy. That's the beautie of me being the one in charge of this operation; my dear uncle has to do everything I say in regards to the society's business. Also since the society sends most messages directly to me, I see more classified documents than Uncle Filch. Anyway I'll have him bring enough food, and water down hears for a couple of months, and toiletry items as well. He needs to have access to good hygiene, so that you can be healthy too." Marietta finished. "But still the question remains, how do we get him down here. I don't want to use the imperious curse, I have a felling that somehow the Head master will find out." She said. Filch gave a sensual smile.

"Well if I can become him tonight, and you can have sex with me, he'll dream about it tomorrow night. If you're really wild, he'll remember it well. And you can bring him down here with the promises of the real thing later. But not to much later." He finished. Marietta thought for a moment.

"Be ready to receive him on Saturday, I'll convince him to come down here then." Marietta stood up and began to undress, as Filch malted into a clear bubble, and reformed into Semis Finnegan. When she was done, she pushed him hard onto the bed, and gave a seductive smile. "Hello Semis Finnegan, I'm Marietta Edgencombe, and _I'm going to rock your world!" _she said intimately, as she climbed up on him.

Cho and Luna, had been waiting behind a suit of armor, for Marietta to get back and activate the painting. They were in the dark, and remained perfectly still, until they jumped at the sound of Filch shouting.

"**There you are! What are you doing out of bed?" **He shouted. Cho and Luna were horrified, he was coming in their direction, and they were frozen in fear. It looked like this was the end, but Filch walked right past them, she shadow of the suit of armor hiding them from the light of Filche's lamp. Cho and Luna peered around the suit to see who Filch was shouting at. It was Marietta. She looked at Filch defiantly.

"What do you think _dear uncle_; I'm out on society business, laying out the final plans." Marietta said. Filch gave her a nasty look. Cho and Luna looked at each other and both mouthed the words _dear uncle_ at each other in disbelief.

"Well when do you think that the plans will be finished? Poor Miss Norris needs to be let out of the office; she hasn't been out but for a few minutes since two weeks before school, the poor dear." Filch said. Marietta gave him a sly smile.

"Well if you love the stupid cat so much, than why don't you get her a flee collar, or a flee dip, or something. Why don't you also go to madam Pomfrey for that bladder infection, afraid of a little urinary charm?" Marietta asked sarcastically.

"Don't you be smart with me, _dear niece_. Why the society put you in charge of everything over me I have no idea. I've been here for over forty years, and you're just a little girl." He said. Marietta gave him a dirty look.

"I'm in charge here, because this whole thing is my grand design. Also you're a squib, and although pure blood runs through your veins, it takes a magic user to handle something this important. And I'm no longer a little girl but a full grown woman now. I'm seventeen. So don't come to me with that little girl stuff. Just do your job, and things are going to get a lot better for you around here. I know how anxious you are to get back to toarchering students, and I'm going to be the one to help you in that. Now, tomorrow we have some things to discuss. They include you finally being able to let Miss Norris out of the office, and coming up with some non perishable foods, enough for a couple of months." She finished. Filch let out a sincere smile.

"**You mean I can really let her roam free again?"** Filch asked excited. Marietta smiled.

"Of coerce, we only needed her for temporary use, but you have to do everything I say with out question. It is for the good of the wizarding world. Now remember you took the oath, you can never go back on It." she said. Filch nodded his head.

"I know, I understand it's just that… why do you need to have such a large supply of non perishable food? He asked. Marietta rolled her eyes.

"Didn't I just say to do everything I say without question? Don't worry about things that don't concern you. _Just follow orders! _Goodnight dear uncle." She finished, and gave the charm to reverse the freezing effect on the painting the soldier and the woman moved and asked for the password as if nothing had happened. Marietta gave it, and went through the passage. Filch gave a dirty look toward the area that Marietta had disappeared to.

"Goodnight _dear niece_!" he said in a sarcastic tone. And left toward the stairs that led to the dungeon. Cho and Luna waited for a few minutes before approaching the painting. When they did it the woman asked them for their password. Cho looked at her watch and then up at them and asked if they remembered anything between the hours of twelve and now which was four thirty. They said that they didn't keep track of time, but that Cho and Luna had better remember the password if they wanted to get inside. Luna gave it, and they walked inside, very tired from being up all night. They agreed to discuss what had happened, but decided not to do it at lunch, but somewhere that they could keep it private. After a while of thought they finally decided to work out the mystery in Cho's dorm room, as she was sure that she could trust everyone there. The two hugged each other, and left to sleep in their separate dorm rooms, they would have plenty to talk about tomorrow. As Cho fell asleep she had horrible dreams again, and was restless, hearing Harry's angry words from last year…

"**Don't you start crying again…Don't you start crying again… Don't you start crying again."** Then she dreamed of being with Harry at Hogsmead last year. Um hey listen Cho…I've got to meet another girl…another girl…another girl…" and then finally, the worst dream, Harry being tortured by the crucio curse." She had a restless few hours of sleep before Erica woke her up.

"Come on Cho! Your going to be late." She said. Cho felt as if she had only been asleep for a few minutes, and knew her eyes were bloodshot." She dressed quickly and ran down stairs quickly filing out with the rest of the Ravenclaw students. Cho spied Marietta looking equally tired, and also with bloodshot eyes exiting out the door.


	21. Chapter 21

Black's Phoenix: Thanks for the review, and critique. Well Dumbledore is indeed the greatest Wizard in the World, but he's not omnipotent, I know in this story HBP never happened, but I point out in that that Snape was able to keep his intentions hidden from him, and Marietta is in this story, very cleaver. She's not exactly working alone, but her ability to cover thins up… well I really have thought about that from the beginning. But I can't say anything about it yet. But trust me, I have already thought of it, and it will come out eventually. Also I was under the impression that the occulemency

Lessons were a complete failure at the end of OOTP, as Voldermort was able to fool Harry, and Dumbledore said it was mistakes to have Snape train him. So I'm going with that premise.

Tiyuri: Good eye about the Filch thing. My little sister didn't get that. But you didn't like the chapter? I wasn't sure how well I could write from Marietta's perspective. I'll try to improve.

Chaos666: Thanks for the review. I hope I can keep it lively for you.

Um… well this isn't the greatest chapter, but I think that Friday will be a few chapters. I know it will not be anyone's favorite, perhaps its more filler.

Take care all.

**Chapter 21: Fridays Breakfast.**

Cho and Luna sat at the Ravenclaw table together at breakfast trying to keep each other awake. Their little adventure the night before had cost them valuable rest, and now they were both paying for it. They had been at the table for about fifteen minutes when the owls came flying in from the roof with the student's mail. One Brown barn owl dropped three letters, and a package, in front of Cho, and a gray one dropped a letter and an article of the Quibbler in front of Luna. Luna opened the letter to her and read it carefully. Cho looked at her blurry eyed, and asked what the letter said in a sleepy monotone voice. Luna looked at her happily.

"It's from dad! He asks what we thought of the Crumple Horned Snorack. Today is our first care of magical creature's class. I'll be able to right him back tonight. I can't wait! Luna said. Cho's stomach churned. Could she really go through with this? Maybe she should tell Luna the truth. Maybe she should not make herself look bad in front of everyone else, and make an excuse that she was feeling sick, and not show up. No! How could you even think like that Cho told herself. It's your duty to back Luna up. Who cares what other people think of you. You can't disappoint Luna, everyone's going to be laughing at her, and you have to be there for her and tell everyone you see it too. Cho looked at her book for Care of Magical Creatures class, and read the title "Walking with Giants." There was nothing she could do but dread the coming of the class. Cho looked for Harry at the Gryffindor table, and spotted Marietta speaking to a Gryffindor girl with black hair, and olive skin. She gave Luna a poke in the ribs to get her attention.

"Luna, is that that Lori something or other that is with Marietta?" Cho asked. Luna looked in the direction that Cho was pointing, and nodded.

"Yea that's her, she's got four days detention from Professor…**Yawn!**... Sprout." Luna said, weakly. Luna than looked at Cho. "Um hey Cho, aren't you going to open your letters?" she asked anxious to hear from Cho's cousins. Luna didn't know a lot about the Muggle world, and Cho had shared her letters with her cousin lately with Luna. Cho opened the first one, read it and showed it to Luna. It was from Cho's cousins.

**_Dear Cho, _**

**_What's up with keeping us in the dark about you and Potter, was their really something going on between the two of you last year? You just have to tell us, or else well write your friend Beverly Jones. She seemed really anxious to tell anyone who would listen about it. I can't believe you would keep something this important from your own family. Shame on you! Did you and Potter do any snogging last year? Did he really cheat on you on your first date! I thought he was a great guy; you always spoke so highly of him. We both know that you still like him, and we hope that you two can work things out. There is not much going on here, now, but dad says we may take a trip across the channel to Europe one weekend. Not to France I hope though, those people are so stuck up! I would much rather go to Spain and see the running of the bulls, from a safe distance of coarse ;) or some traditional Spanish Dancing like we saw on the telly this summer. We went to see Aunt Chi yesterday, and she's talking now. She says she's in a lot of pain from the chemo, but I think it's best if your dad writes you about that. We both know that she's going to get better Cho. It's just a matter of time. Keep your chin up. Well write us back soon, and if you could possible… get Harry Potter's autograph for us. _**

_**Love your cousins, **_

**_The notorious Sally and Ling:D _**

Luna's eyes went wide. You know I think I remember something about you and Harry and a date last year, but I can't bring it to mind. Did he really dump you fifteen minutes into the date to go see another girl? That doesn't sound like him at all Cho." Luna said in a tired voice. Cho lowered her head.

"It… doesn't matter. I… he likes me now, and maybe we can salvage what we might have had. Besides, I… I probably was boring him. He probably has been with a lot of girls, and I'm not very special. But than again he was looking for me at every meal. Oh Luna I hope he likes me. I'm worried I'm going to do something wrong." Cho stated. Luna gave her a comforting look.

"Cho… I told you, just be yourself. Harry will like you for who you are, because you're a really good person, and so is he." Luna said. She than looked at Cho's package. "Who's that one from?" She asked. Cho looked down at the package, and tore open it open. It was a large leather bound book, with a letter attached. Cho read the title, "**Ancient Goblin to English." **Cho opened the book; it was very hard for her to read even a little, with strange symbols, and drawings on one side and the English translation on the other. Her father had learned how to read and write ancient Goblin because a few of his clients preferred that to the more traditional simplified form that was most popular. Cho had learned a little herself, but was nowhere near as good as her father. She read the note that was attached.

**_Miss Chang,_**

**_Since the useless facility of your school hasn't had the foresight to teach ancient Goblin or even simplified Goblin to you and your fellow students, I have sent you this book to start you on your way to better learning the most civilized language in the world. I hope you will get some use out of it. It certainly cost me enough, and as your father has been doing an adequate job here, I thought that you might consider a position with Gringots as well. But don't think I'm making any kind of offer. I'm just saying that if you learn Goblin you might possibly be barely qualified for a job. I hope you don't waste your time at school this year. I'm sure that you don't want to disappoint you father by wasting his money from his overpaid salary. Study the book if you want to get ahead in life. _**

_**Good day Miss Chang.**_

Luna gave a disgusted grunt at reading the letter. "What rude people these goblins are! I've never heard a more hateful letter in my life." She said. Cho gave a weak smile, and turned to Luna.

"Well actually Luna, it was kind of complimentary. It's in the nature of Goblins to be rude, even when they mean to be nice. By saying that dad is doing an adequate job, he's actually saying that dad is doing a great job, and by suggesting that I might be barely qualified, he's saying that I would probably be good. You'll never hear a direct kind word from a goblin Luna. Luna gave a nod of understanding.

"That's weird Cho. But I guess it's their culture. Who's the last letter from?" She asked.

"Cho opened the last letter and read it to herself, and tears started to stream down her face as she reached the end.

**_Dearest Cho, _**

**_How have you been doing at school? I hope that your marks are improving over last year, and that you're able to concentrate this year. Remember your mother and I are counting on you to do well. You're the first Chang to go to Hogwarts, and I want you to bring honor to the family. It would make us look very bad If we had a daughter that had to take a summer course to make up, and miss walking down the isle at graduation. Also it would be worse to have to tell the other Wizards, and Witches in Motherwell that our daughter had her wand broken because she couldn't pass school, and didn't even make high enough marks to finish school in a summer course. Look, I'm not trying to bring you down, just to remind you that school is important, and that the family saving face is important. I know that it's the most important thing to your mother that you graduate this year._**

**_Works been very hard and the hours long, but I'm doing a good job if I do say so myself, and I think that the Goblins are noticing. Maybe I will get a raise, or promotion, but to be honest, I would rather have a couple of days off as opposed to either one. Still, it's rewarding enough to know I'm making a difference at work. _**

**_Now, I have some bad news for you Cho. I wish we had phones in the Wizarding world, because than I could tell you in real time, and express the emotion that I need to convey to you. Dr. Gardiah has run some more test and found that your mother has some small tumors on her left breast that will require more chemo, and radiation, and a longer stay in hospital. I had hoped to bring her back to the flat this month, but I know that the doctor knows best. Cho I wish that we could go back to the way that things were before. I wish that we could visit China again next year. Do you remember the last time we went? You were only thirteen, and we all had a great time. I've never seen you so excited, wanting to see every part of the country, and watching listening to you and your mum talking about seeing the Water Dragons with such excitement. I've never seen you two so happy. I think that was your best day together. _**

**_Listen Cho, Chi will get better, and we will go back to China and see the Water Dragons again. She told me to tell you that she wants to do that with you as soon as she is better. We will go there for your graduation this summer, so study hard. _**

_**Love,**_

_**Dad**_

**_P.S. Remember not to talk about this to anyone, as it's a private family affaire. _**

Luna looked at the tears, which Cho tried to wipe away from her face with great concern. "What's wrong Cho?" What does the letter say?" Cho looked at Luna, and tried to speak.

"It says… it says..." Cho stammered out, but couldn't finish. She lowered her head, and put it in her folded arms. "I'll tell… you later Luna." She finished. Luna guessed that it was about Cho's mother, but knew that Cho wanted to wait and talk about it later. It made her sad to see her good friend so distraught about something, but Cho had always been so emotionally fragile. Life never seemed to give Cho a break, and Luna knew that she desperately needed one.

Further down the table Marietta had just returned to her seat, next to Danielle and Eric Stanton, a seventh year Ravenclaw boy who had helped pass out leaflets the other day and was annoyed at not being able to wear his arm band. Danielle was holding his hand under table. Marietta was leaning her head to look at Cho. She smiled as she saw Cho with tears in her eyes. "I wonder what she's crying about now." She said. Danielle rolled her eyes.

"Hump! Who knows, she cries about everything. Probably about that dead half-blood boyfriend of hers. Or maybe because she still misses Potter or maybe because she's breathing." Danielle laughed.

"She always was emotionally weak, even before Diggory died. That's why she befriends so many mud-bloods, because she can't do anything right, like chose the right friends. Weak!" Marietta said, her smile widening even more.

"What do you want us to do about Potter? I mean when do you want us to get him alone." Eric asked quietly. Marietta looked around to make sure that they were surrounded by like minded people, and leaned forward.

"Pansy Parkinson is going to skip class next period. I checked and Potter has Defense Against Dark Arts with the Hufflepuffs then. It's taught by my favorite, and his least favorite teacher, Professor Snape. She will wait in the hall for a short time, and go inside and tell Professor Snape that Potter's presents is requested by Filch. Pansy has a note to make it official. Potter and Professor Snape don't like each other, so they will happy to be rid of each others company. She will convince him to go down to the third floor girl's lavatory, the one that's out of order. Oliver Skint and you and I will be waiting for him. We don't need to keep him there but for a minute to do what we have to, but since it will be during class no one should be in the halls. I asked Pansy to avoid going by Filche's office because it's now a _"haunt" _quite literally for the ghost. Once were done with him in the bathroom just go back to class and make up a lame excuse as to your absence, or go to your dorm rooms and say that you weren't feeling well. But don't tell anyone what happened, even another member of the society. We have to keep secretes even from ourselves if all is to go to plan. But I mean it when I say _forget about everything you did today after you do it. _

"Moaning Myrtle, the ghost that haunts the girls bathroom will rat us out when she sees what were up to." Danielle said concerned. Marietta tossed her head.

"Leave that to me. I have also anticipated that little detail in advance. Just do your job, when he gets there, and we'll have Potter out of this school and in Irons in Azkaban in good time." Marietta smiled.

Meanwhile over at the Gryffindor table Ron and Harry were eating at the end of the table closest to the Masters, without Hermione, who was at the end closest to the exit to the Great Hall. Harry looked at Ron with a worried expression on his face.

"Err… look Ron can't you two talk this out? It feels really awkward. We've all been friends since we got here, and now… well it just doesn't feel right." Harry finished. Ron gave a sigh.

"Look Harry, _I_ don't have a problem here. This is all Hermione. She was the one who chose not to sit next to us, and she's the one who chooses not to speak to me. She' being a baby, and I'm not going to reward her bad behavior by caving in. Now she's quite welcome to come and sit next to us if she bloody well pleases, but I'm not going to give her any invitation while she's acting like this. I want to date other girls, and I have plenty of time to date her. I don't think that I'm doing anything wrong. If were truly meant to be together, and I believe that we are, than this will all pass. I just want to have some fun and not feel weighed down. Like I said… we have all the time in the world. Ron finished casually. Harry nodded.

"I guess your right. It's just that… I don't know. I thought that since you two had never really dated that you might give it a try. But I understand about wanting to taste the spices of life first. So I thought about making plans to reserve the pitch at four on Saturday, what do you think Ron?" Harry asked.

"Err… do you think that you can make it at five Harry? I'm on the Yule Ball committee tomorrow, and we won't be out until four thirty." He said. Harry gave a raised eyebrow.

"What… why are you on that?" He asked more than a little surprised. Ron turned a little red.

"Well… Luna is on the committee, and she thought that it would be a great way to spend time together. Also there will be no teachers, so you know, maybe we could find a quite place, and kiss. I've never been kissed before, I mean except for Padma on the train platform, and that was on the cheek. Harry smiled.

"Okay Ron. I see your point. Just remember that Quiddich comes first, don't let the Yule Ball get in the way of it. But I don't know how you're going to stand all that girly stuff." Harry joked. Ron gave a cheerful shrug. "Look, I'm going to invite Hermione over here. I'm sure she's just waiting for a friendly invitation that's all." Harry said. **"Hey Hermione."** Harry shouted. **"Hermione!" **Harry waved franticly at her, until he got her attention. She looked at him with a blank expression on her face, and Harry motioned for her to sit with him. She looked over at Ron, sitting next to Harry and then back to Harry himself shook her head, and motioned for him to come and sit by her. Harry looked at Ron. "I'll be right back. Maybe I can get her to join us." Harry said. Ron frowned.

"Well don't tell her that I'm sorry or anything. But yea I want her to join us." Ron said. Harry nodded, and went over to where Hermione was sitting with Katie Bell, and Brad Beck. Harry sat next to Hermione.

"Look Hermione, why don't you come and sit with Ron and I. We both want your company." Harry said. Hermione gave him a quizzical look. Is Ron ready to apologize and commit to me?" she asked.

"Err… well no, but he wants you to sit next to us as well." Harry stated.

"Well you can tell him that until he is ready to apologize that I have no desirer to be near him. How can he do this to me?" Hermione asked. Harry shrugged.

"Look Hermione, I don't think that he's trying to do anything to you. He just wants to take it slow for a while. Why don't you agree to go to the first Hogsmead weekend with him, he really wants to go with you." Harry said hopeful that the two of them would make up. Hermione shook her head.

"No Harry, Ron doesn't care about my feelings, and I'm not going to be his sometimes girlfriend. When he grows up, and decides to be with me exclusively than I'll forgive him." She finished.

"Okay, I tried." Harry capitulated. He started to get up.

"Harry! This doesn't affect us. I mean you and me, were still cool. So if you need any help with your Defense Against Dark Arts homework just let me know." Hermione said. Harry turned back to her.

"Well I think Ron could use some help. He was up with it all last night. Maybe you could…"

"It's to late now Harry. It's due last period. I would have to write it during lunch. He should have come to me before now. Maybe this will teach him a lesson and he will come back to me." Hermione interrupted him. Harry nodded.

"Okay Hermione. I'll see you in class. I hope that you two will work this out." Harry said and returned to his spot next to Ron. Ron looked at him.

"Well? What did she say?" He asked anxious.

"She wants you to apologize, and commit to her exclusively, and than she will talk to you." Harry said. Ron gave a discussed look.

"Hump. Well she'll have a long wait. I haven't done anything wrong." He said. Harry heard a loud clinging as Dumbledore at the masters table hit a spoon against his glass, cleared his throat, and stood up ready to give a speech.

"**Attention everyone! Your attention please!" He started.**


	22. Chapter 22

Chaos666: Thanks for the review. I appreciate it very much. I'm hoping to get to the good part soon. I had a lot of great ideas for the beginning and end, but not on how I got the characters there. This is going to be the longest Friday in print. I think that this is more filler, but I'm really trying to get to the good stuff. Sorry it's taking so long.

Tiyuri: Okay, I understand about the chapter now. Thanks for clearing it up. Yes there are a lot of mistakes, and I'm in a hurry. I'm running out of time, and I have to write a lot of filler for a back story. I had a beta reader for chapter one through seven, a really good one, but she had to bail out. Those chapters are really good. I've requested a new one, but it takes time for some one to accept, and I have to keep posting even before I get one. But when I finally do it will look better.

Okay… well… uh, I have this thing that Hermione is going to get very jealous of Luna, and she blurts out stuff she doesn't mean. I guess that sometimes people say that when they are mad. Cho is feeling nervous about what she feels obliged to do for Luna, and the divide between Ron and Hermione continues to grow. But really this is just all filler. So… not a great chapter. Sorry! I'm going to really start crunching down after this one, I promise.

One last thing. There seems to be a fewmuslim groups in the UK these days saying that the English Flag should not be flown because it carries the cross of st. George on it, that was used in the crusades. Whatever the flag ment in the far distant past, it means something totally diffrent today, and has had a long and honorable history. It was one of the flags that was with Nelson at his victory at Trafalger, and Wellington at Waterloo, and it has represented the spirit of the English while fighting aginst tyrants around the world and throughout history. For battiling aginst Hitler in the 1930's to fighting the war on terriorism today. As an Athiest I could care less about the origional meaning of the flag many thousands of years ago. As an American it represents to me and many others in this nation the courage of a great and diverse people. A people not devided by ethinicity, or religion, or color, but drawn togather by nationhood. To me the English flag represents everyone in the comonwealth. I put the importants ofpatriotism in Dumbledors speach, because I believe that nationhood unites people. And I believe that the United Kingdom shines as a nation of great freedom in modern history, rich in diversity, and yet strong in unity. Well... I just wanted to say that, and explaine why I put national pride in Dumbledors speach. I probably wont post socialcommentaries like this again, and I'm sorry if it seems a bit cheeze. Oh! Also I know that most Muslims don't have a problem with it, and the vast majority of Muslims in the UK are loyal citizens. Err... enjoy the chapter...

**Chapter 22: Care of Magical Creatures. **

"**Your attention please!" **said Dumbledore. The great hall grew quite, and every head turned to the Head Master of Hogwarts. Dumbledore looked over all the students for a moment, and then spoke.

"Thank you. Today I would like to talk about pride. Now it has come to my attention that some hateful literature has been passed out in the great hall yester day in the form of pamphlets that promoted the idea, of pureblood superiority, and promoting discrimination of non pureblood students. Now as we have not had any written material like this passed out any time since I have been head Master at this school, we really didn't have any rule against it as of yesterday. Therefore, no student that was passing out such written material will face disciplinary action. However last night the rest of the masters, and I drafted a new official rule that states that any material handed out from now on must be approved by the staff before hand. Now I know that many students were raised to be proud of their magical heritage, and there is nothing wrong with that. Students should be proud of that, just as students that are half-blood and muggle-borne should be proud of their heritage. The reason for this is because were we come from is a part of who we are. We are proud to be citizens of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, proud to be from our respective commonwealths on this great island, and proud of our family history. We are also very fortunate nations to have such a diverse group of people, whose heritage comes from all over the globe. That is reflected in the students of this school. Where we come from is some thing that we should _all_ be proud of.

But there is something else that we should all be proud of as well. No matter were our ancestors come from, and no mater what our magical heritage is, we must remember two things. The first thing is that we are all magic users, and because of this everyone of you here in both this school, and in the wizarding world in general have a right to be here. It doesn't matter weather if your parents were magic users or if only one of your parents were magic users, or none of them are magic users. By your very ability to use magic, you have every right to be here, and no one should tell you any different.

Now there is another thing that we should be proud of. The Muggle world, and the Wizarding world are two very different places… culturally speaking. And culture is another thing that people can be proud of. We purebloods, and muggle-borne's come from two different worlds, but at the end of the day we must remember that we are citizens of the greatest nation in the world, the United Kingdom. Our citizenry of this isle is what unites us all together in a common cause, of being freedom loving people. Look around you to your fellow students right now. Everyone here is a national of these islands. Maybe we were not all born here, but every one of us shares the brotherhood of being a citizen of the British Isles. That is something to be proud of." Dumbledore grew quite for a minute, and when he next spoke his voice seemed sterner.

"But there are some beliefs that we should not hold." He said, and held up one of the pink flyers that Marietta and her friends had passed out the day before. "And one of these beliefs is the belief that we, any of us are better than anyone else for our magical lineage. No one here is better than anyone else because their parents were both from a magical family that could be traced back for a long way. Being from such a family doesn't make any student better than a half-borne student, or a muggle-bone student. In fact no student's heritage makes them better than anyone else. For although wear we come from, and were we are, are important factors to who we are, the most important thing is what we do with ourselves. By that I mean what our **_intentions_** are. We all need to seek to make this world, a better place, and prejudice is not a way to make the world better, only worse. Hate is a hurtful thing and I do not tolerate my students being hurt, so I have one important thing to tell all of you. Racist material will not be allowed to be distributed at Hogwarts. The grace period of the handing out of such filthy literature is over as of now, and any student caught handing it out from now on will be suspended for two weeks. Any further attempts to hand out such hate filled material upon the students return will be cause for expulsion. I hope that that is clear. I will not tolerate such filth at my school.

Now there is one more issue for the day. It has come to my attention that a seminar is to take place at Hogsmead during the first weekend trip. This seminar is based on the belief that Purebloods are better than Muggle borne, and half bloods. It is by a group that I have had unfriendly dealings with in the past. Now I cannot tell any of you where you can go, and what you can do once you get into Hogsmead, but I urge all of you not to attend this seminar. These people are nothing but trouble, and you don't need to be associating with them. I know you will all do the right thing and stay away from this abomination." Dumbledore's voice now grew kinder.

"Well, I'm sorry to sound so grim, but I just had to get this out. I hope all of you will reflect on it today. I want all of you to know that I'm proud of all of you equally for the hard work that you do, and so are the other teachers in this school." Dumbledore looked at his pocket watch.

"I guess I had better let you go to class now. I didn't mean to be so long winded. Have a truly great day." He finished to a thunderous applause that had students like Harry and Cho clapping, and students like Marietta, and Oliver Skint scowling.

Back at the Ravenclaw table Luna and Cho were getting up to go to care of Magical Creatures class, when Beverly and Nancy asked to speak to Cho in private. Cho told Luna that she would catch up with her at the front door. She looked at Beverly and Nancy as Luna headed off ahead of her.

"What's up guys?" Cho asked. Beverly and Nancy gave each other worried looks.

"Well Cho… You have Care of Magical Creatures Class next right?" Beverly asked nervously. Cho nodded her head.

"Err… well your not really going through with this are you?" Nancy asked equally worried. Cho gave a determined look and spoke in her heavy Scottish accent.

"Look guys, how do ya know that there isn't a Crumple Horned Snorack? I mean just because no one has ever seen one before doesn't mean that they don't exist. I mean look at the Muggle world. They don't believe in dragons or wizards, or magic, and it's real. Beverly slapped her forehead in capitulation, and Nancy put her head down and shook it.

"Cho, we told you that we cannot back you up on this one. If you tell everyone you see the Snorack you'll be the only one saying it besides Luna. People will think that you've gone mental like her. Don't you care about what people will think about you?" Beverly asked. Cho gave Beverly an angry look.

"Beverly, since when has that ever been important to me? I've never tried to be popular, I…" Cho was interrupted.

"But you are popular Cho! You are. And you're not going to continue to be if you keep supporting people when they are unpopular. I mean why you don't just tell Luna the truth. She comes up with some more weird stuff every year. You should try and distance yourself from her for a while, until she gives up on this." Nancy intoned. Cho looked at Beverly.

"And tell me Beverly, is that what I should have done when _you_ came to me with your concern? Distance myself from you because what you are isn't that popular? Because some people were teasing you about it. Because people looked at you different? If I had not stood up for you, maybe you wouldn't have had any friends today." Cho said a little upset. Beverly lowered her head.

"I… I'm very grateful that you stood up for me and even got into trouble for me, and I owe you a lot…" Beverly said shakily. Cho put a hand on Beverly's shoulder.

"No Beverly, ya don't owe me. That's not how I want my friendships to be, I'm not keeping score. I just want you two to understand that I need to support Luna, and I want you to respect that. Look I… I guess it's wrong of me to expect you two to go along with Luna on this, but… just don't make fun of her, and maybe stick up for her if other people do when I'm not around, okay?" Cho pleaded. Nancy and Beverly reluctantly nodded their heads.

"You know that were not going to make fun of her Cho. Look I, we, hope it goes well for you two today. Really." Beverly said. Cho nodded her head again. Thanks you two, I hoe so too. Well goodbye." Cho finished, as she walked out of the great hall to meet Luna.

Cho took slow steps toward the hut that the half-giant of Hogwarts, Professor Hagrid had his class in front of. When Luna and her were with in a few meters Cho noticed that the ground was frozen, and patches, of Ice, were in several places. Normally this would not be odd, but the weather was unusually warm for this time of year, and there was no frozen ground anywhere else. Cho and Luna were the first students there despite Cho's keeping a slow pace. The massive Professor Hagrid was, standing in front of the fence where the extra large pumpkins used for the Halloween feast were grown. His hands were bandaged. Cho had always felt a little bit afraid of the oversized professor, but she never really knew why. Hagrid smiled at the two of them with a big toothy grin.

"Good evening you two. First one's here. Real eager to learn about giants I hope. Very friendly creatures with the right training. Real misunderstood creatures." Hagrid said. Cho and Luna were soon joined by the rest of the class, and Ron Weasley came over and sat by Cho and Luna. Predominantly the class was made up of people in Luna's year, but as so few people in the six and seventh years had decided to take Care of Magical Creatures as an elective, Cho and Ron were scheduled to attend with the fifth years. Ron smiled at Luna.

"Hello Luna, um how have you been?" He asked trying to sound casual. Luna gave him a big hug, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Ron! I missed you. I'm so glad that you decided to come see the Snorack with me. Ron smiled. No problem. My Harry and Hermi… er…Harry will be coming as well. We're both friends of Hagrid, since our first year." He said. Cho's head shot up, and she turned to Ron.

"You mean…Harry Potter is taking this class… this period?" Cho asked excitedly. Ron gave a nod.

"Yea, well it wasn't on our schedule, but we couldn't miss a class by Hagrid, so we took it as an elective. He finished.

"Oh Ron, this is my good friend Cho Chang. Cho this is Ron Weasley, he's a friend of Harry's." Luna said in a cheery voice. The two smiled and shook hands.

"Yea I know Cho, you lost the Quidditch game to us last year, and your friend betrayed the DA, and almost got everyone suspended." Ron said with not a hint of resentment. Cho's insides churned, and she was deeply hurt. How mean that he should bring up such bad memories. Cho didn't even do anything to him. She was being nice. Cho fought hard to fight back tears. She bit her lip, and remained clear eyed, but unable to speak. Why did he have to hurt her without provocation? Luna's mouth dropped open.

"**Uh! Ron. That was rude!** Why did you have to say that to her. Apologize now!" Luna demanded. Ron had a confused look on his face.

"What? What did I say? I was just making conversation. I wasn't trying to say anything rude." He said genuinely confused. Luna gave him an angry look.

"Well you did say something rude. Do you think that that's anyway to greet anyone, reminding them of a lost game, and accusing them of being responsible for the DA getting busted up." She finished. Ron looked shocked.

"No Luna… I didn't mean that. I don't blame her, I blame Marietta Edgencombe. She was the one who went to Umbridge, not Cho. That's why it was Marietta who had the jinx on her face, and not Cho. I guess I just wasn't thinking about what I was saying. Sorry Cho, I didn't mean anything by it." he finished sincerely. Cho nodded her acceptance of the apology, but was still hurt. She remained quite, and sat down on the cold ground with the rest of the students. Some were still arriving, and Cho looked back towards the castle, and saw Harry and his girlfriend, Hermione Granger heading toward the class. Cho quickly turned away, and focused her attention on Professor Hagrid, as she opened her book to the first chapter. She was really hurt, and wondered if Harry and his girlfriend had gotten back together, or even if they had separated in the first place. She yawned and rubbed her bloodshot eyes.

"Harry saw Ron sitting next to Luna Lovegood, and Cho Chang. And headed toward them, but Hermione pulled on his arm.

"Where are you going Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry pointed to Ron.

"Well Ron, Luna, and Cho Chang are sitting over there, let's sit next to them." Harry said. Hermione gave him an angry look.

"Harry! You know I don't want to sit next to them. Look you sat next to Ron at Breakfast. Why don't you sat next to me for this class." She said.

"But I needed to talk to Luna today about Sirius, and I wanted to talk to Cho Chang about something as well." Harry Protested. Hermione pulled him further to the opposite end of assembled students.

"You can talk to them later; it's my turn for you to sit with me. You can't be with Ron and I at the same time. You'll have to make time for both of us." Hermione said. Harry saw Ron and Luna motioning him to sit next to them. Cho also glanced at him, and had a hurt look on her face. Harry gave an apologetic shrug to Ron and Luna, as Hermione and himself sat at the other end of the class.

Cho gave a deep sad sigh, and lowered her head. She didn't know what Harry was doing with his girlfriend here. She thought that he still had feelings for her, but clearly he was still with Miss Granger on some level. Cho focused her concentration on Professor Hagrid, as he began to speak about the History of Giants, and reiterating his earlier point of how they were misunderstood creatures. The lecture was informative, and Cho remembered that last year the paper had said that Professor Hagrid was a half giant, which would explain his massive size. The paper had also said that he was a danger to his students, as well, but Cho didn't like to believe the papers, although she remembered that the professor had had several dangerous creatures in class before, and she was glad that there were no giants lurking around the school. After the class was almost over, the Professor opened the class to questions. He would explain that with the proper training any giant could become a contributing member of society, and that although "Walking With Giants" was a good reference book, it had a lot of factual errors in it that he would try and clear up. After a few more questions on the subject, one of the Hufflepuff fifth years asked if they would be learning about any other magical creatures in this year. Professor Hagrid gave a bright smile.

"Coarse we will. There will be, Bugbears, Nifflers, Murtlaps, ya know lots of creatures. Luna raised her hand, but asked her question before Professor Hagrid called on her.

"Oh! Professor, what about Crumple Horned Snoracks?" Luna asked. Cho lowered her head, as some of the students laughed. She couldn't go through with this she thought.

"Ha ha ha, the silly Lunatic girls having hallucinations about her adventures with her father. Thinks she's going to see it presented here according to that stupid article in the Quibbler. Looks like she needs to go to Saint Mungoes for a brain transplant!" Oliver laughed. Cho was furious, and through her anger she was able to come up with new courage to stand up for her friend. She walked quickly over to where Oliver was sitting, and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"**Shut up Skint! How so you know that there is no Snorack? **Have you ever seen one? Muggles don't see a lot of things in the magic world, like dragons, and Magic Schools, but we all know that their real. And the Crumple Horned Snorack could be real too." Cho shouted. Oliver was aghast, as he was caught off guard, by Cho's attack.

"Look Chang, you can't tell me that you really believe that stupid girls story do you? I mean you would have to be off your chum to think that there's a Crumple Horned Snorack here. Why haven't any of us seen it then?" Skint shot back recovering himself. Cho gave him a menacing look.

"If you had read the article a little closer you would have realized that it's invisible. So you can't see it. But the paper said that Luna and her father caught one, and that's what they did. And Luna's not stupid. And if you say that about her again I'm going to kick your arse Skint." Cho said in a hostile tone. A fifth year Hufflepuff girl started giggling.

"The paper? The paper? Oh come on Miss Chang… the Daily Prophet is _the paper! _It's something that everyone counts on to give accurate facts.The Quibbler is just a bit of sensational journalism. Anyone who takes it seriously is a loony." The fifth year said. Cho turned to her now.

"The Daily Profit is hardly ever right about anything. I have never trusted that waste of timber, and I would put the Quibbler's repetition against it any day of the week." Cho lied, realizing that she was going over the top with this. Ron stood up and joined in.

"Uh… I for one read the Quibbler, and I think that the Snorack is… err… I think…" Ron was having trouble finishing up. He looked at Luna. Ron didn't believe in the Snorack anymore than Cho did, but he wanted to impress Luna, and decided to cast his lot with her. He pushed himself to finish. "I think it's real…" He said rather unsure of himself.

"Don't be silly Ron! You know full well that that the Snorack is a lie." Hermione said in a very jealous and uncharacteristic tone. She pointed to Luna with an accusing tone in her voice. "That stupid girl is just trying to get attention." Hermione finished. A hurt look came over Luna's face. She thought that Hermione was her friend. Why was she acting like this? Luna really liked Hermione, and she had never known her to behave this way. Cho walked up to Hermione and got in her face, with a look of sever anger.

"Don't… ever call my friend a liar Granger… try that one more time and…" Cho said through gritted teeth. Hermione gulped, but stood her ground.

"Look I was only pointing out that, well there is no Snorack weather she believes in it or not. It's just a mythological creature. I was just trying to point out that she sees things that aren't there." Hermione said.

"Well you called her a liar, _and she's not._ Now apologize to her now." Cho said ready for a fight. This was ridicules Hermione thought to herself. She just wanted to make Luna look bad so that Ron wouldn't like her. She didn't mean to call her a liar, or to have Cho get in her face. She didn't even know that Cho and Luna were friends. She didn't know that Luna had any friends besides her and the other Gryffindors. Hermione hesitated as Cho stared her down with fist clenched. She realized that her own hands were also in fist. She opened them.

"Okay. I'll apologize. I didn't mean to say that to her." Hermione said, and she carefully moved past Cho, to apologize to Luna.

"You're too late. She's run off back to the castle in tears, said Harry. Hermione… I, I'm ashamed of you for the first time in my life. You hurt me. How could you do that to someone? Harry said, shaking his head in disbelief. Hermione instantly was hit by a wave of sincere guilt. She hadn't meant to hurt Luna, she just lost it when she saw Ron being her champion. She had been overcome with a sense of jealousy since she found out that Luna had been writing Ron over the summer. This isn't what she wanted to be like. As Hermione looked around she saw that Ron was missing too. Hermione glanced back at Harry.

"Harry, where is Ron?" she asked. Harry crossed his arms and gave her a disappointed look.

"He left right behind Luna, to go and console her." Harry said. Hermione's legs became jello, and she had to sit down. Cho, who was about to head off to comfort Luna, turned to Hermione.

"Look Miss Granger, when I get her calmed down I expect a full…"

"**Alright shut up the lot of you! Pay attention!" **came the loud voice of Hagrid. He looked very hot at the class, and everyone's heads snapped towards him. Hagrid calmed down and lowered his voice, when he saw that he had everyone's attention. "Now look… in this class were going to deal with a variety of magical creatures. Now well get to as many as we can, but each year I like to have one main one that we focus on. This year it's giants. But we will get to others as well. Crumple Horned Snoracks will be among the ones that we study." Hagrid said in an even gentler tone. Oliver Skint raised his hand high, and shook it. "Err… yes Mr. Skint?"

"Professor Hagrid… you mean that well study the Snorack as it relates to mythology, right?" Skint asked, as the warning bell was heard emanating from the castle. The students started to pack up there stuff and leave, Cho was at the head, of them and moving the fastest.

"Miss Chang, Mr. Skint, Hermione, and Harry please stick around." Hagrid called out to the respective students. They stopped and walked back to where Hagrid stood. He gave a happy smile. "I want the four of you to stay around for a while longer. I have something to show you." Hagrid said. Harry looked at his watch.

"But Hagrid, I'll be late for Transfiguration." Harry said.

"And I'll be late for Defense Against Dark Arts." Skint protested.

"We'll all be late for our classes." Hermione put in.

"I… have to go find Luna, and make sure she's okay." Cho said worried. Hagrid put up his bandaged hands to calm everyone's concerns.

"Now relax everyone. I'll write each of you a note to your respective classes. I have something I want you all to see, and I think that it's going to be worth the wait. And Miss Chang, I think that Ron will be able to help Miss Lovegood on his own. Hagrid finishes, as Hermione gave a hurt look. Now If you will all follow me around to the other side of me house please…"


	23. Chapter 23

Tiyuri: Thanks for the complement. I'm glad you're keeping entertained. I think that that would be very nice of you until I get a new beta reader. I could send you the Microsoft Word Document by E-mail.

Chaos666: Very good deduction about Hagrid. Now you'll see what it is. Thanks about the speech complement. I was just trying to show that even in the wizarding world that National Pride is important, and that it unites everyone in the country under one banner where everyone is equal. But not all students are going to agree with Dumbledore's ideas of unity, and acceptance.

Well hear I am at Chapter 23! God when will it end. I'm completely mental now. Mad as a hatter. **"Wobble!" ** I'm sorry to drag this day out, but I need to put more filler in. I think I'll call the chapter after this day ends "The Crunch" as in, I Gotta crunch this story down and be done with it. Well, Hermione lets her jealousy still her cool and Cho sticks up for someone when almost no one else will, that's cannon! Hagrid brings out another creature that you really wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, and Marietta does what she does best. Plots evil plots. Err… I hope you like it, but it's only filler. I really am trying to get to the good parts. See ya all next chapter.

**Chapter 23: Crumple Horned Snorack**

The four students followed Hagrid around the little house, down a small trail that led to an area that was obscured from the castle by an outcropping of trees. In the area was a wooden fence with a small iron gate. The ground inside the fenced in area was frozen, and littered with several ice patches. Hagrid led the students through the gate, and reminded them to be careful not to slip on the ice. Hagrid then gestured toward an empty corner of the enclosure.

"Well there you go everyone. An actual Crumple Horned Snorack." He said with a heavy degree of satisfaction in his voice. Everyone strained to see what he was motioning at.But no one saw anything. Cho hoping that he was serious, but still as skeptical as anyone, was the first to speak.

"Pr…Professor, do ya mean somewhere in the forest?" Cho asked. Hagrid shook his head, and smiled.

"Oh excuse me, I forgot. You're not sure what to look for, and he's resting now. Let me get him moving about so you can all see him. Stay here where it's safe everyone. Watch for any movement. Hagrid walked to the corner of the fence, and waved his wand around saying a spell. Purple sparks flew out of his wand, and showered the corner. Just for a moment a clear see-through image, came into view, it moved around, and although everyone could tell it was a large creature, no one could make out a definite shape.The motion of the creaturegave the impression of flowing water, and a clear head similar to a pointy nosed dog, but with a twisting see through horn was visible for just a second. The students stood in awe of what they were seeing, and a wide smile started to creep across Cho's face, as she wiped away a joyful tear. Suddenly a horrific roar caused all the students to jump, and the see through head of the creature shot out a blast of frost at Hagrid, who was able to produce a shield charm just in time. He disappeared behind the icy blast for a moment, but than reappeared unharmed, in front of a Hagrid shaped patch of grass amid all the ice. He turned to everyone and pointed to the creature.

"Ya see? I told ya all it was real. A bit temperamental, but a right friendly creature to be sure." Hagrid gave a final stunning spell that Harry had never heard before, and the beast disappeared. Hagrid walked back over to the stunned students, with a look of complete satisfaction. "Well are there any questions?" Hagrid asked. Harry looked at him.

"How did you know when it would attack you Hagrid?" Harry asked. Hagrid smiled.

"Oh well that was easy. I had a chat with Mr. Lovegood when he had some people bring it over. He said that he lost a few of his expedition to Frosty's blast. Turns out every time that he's about to fire one off, he makes a loud noise like that, and you only have a few seconds to respond. Everyone stared blank-faced at Hagrid.

"Frosty?" Oliver Skint asked.

"Yea, well all creatures need a name ya see, and being that he's so cute, and cold. I thought Frosty fit em to a tee." Hagrid said.

"Ha…Hagrid. How can you tell if it's cute? We can't even see it properly." Hermione said, still in awe of the spectacle before her. Hagrid shook his head.

"Well, ya know, ya just have ta use your imagination, that's all." Hagrid finished. "Anyway now that ya all saw it ya can tell everyone that Luna Lovegood and her father are not crazy, and that we will be seeing the Snorack one day this year." Hagrid said.

"_One_ day this year? Hagrid we should be studying this everyday. I mean, it's got to be the only one in captivity doesn't it?" Harry asked. Hagrid gave an upset look to Harry.

"Err… look Harry this year, were mainly focusing on giants. It's important. We'll get to the Snorack eventually, but we don't know enough about it for now. Dumbledore taught me a spell that would calm it down, but even he doesn't know that much about it. We'll more likely have more data for a class on the Snorack next year." Hagrid said. But Giants are the order of the day for now. Anyway, ya all have your proof now, so Luna has witnesses to her story." Hagrid stated. Oliver Skint had a troubled look on his face.

"I can't tell everyone about this… they wouldn't believe me unless I brought them down here to see it." he said. Hagrid rubbed his chin in thought.

"Err… well I guess that next Friday I could have a class on the Snorack, but before and after that it's giants. Anyway lets all head back to my house. I need to get some parchment to write you all excuses." Hagrid finished. As the four students followed Hagrid Harry noticed that Cho was wiping tears from her cheeks, but had a bright smile on her face, that seemed to give her a heavenly glow, and that feeling in his stomach started to return. He started having thoughts about what another date with Cho would be like. He started to daydream about Cho and him dancing at the Yule ball. **No!** He thought; push it out of your mind. Your just friends now. That's how it should be. He turned to look at Hermione, who also had a few tears running down her eyes, but instead of a smile, her face seemed to be a mixture of anger and disappointment. What was wrong with her? Harry thought. She should be happy for Luna, but this jealousy was affecting her judgment. He knew that she was in love with Ron, but he had made it clear that he was also in love with her, and that he wasn't going to be to serious about other girls, he just wanted some dating experience under his belt.

"Professor Hagrid, when you said that Mr. Lovegood lost a few of his expedition capturing the Snorack… do you mean that it killed them?" asked Skint. Hagrid suddenly had a sad look on his face.

"Well… yea, the Snorack froze a couple of wizards ta death, but… but that was only in self defense ya see. I mean they had him cornered, and the poor little fellow was frightened, so it tried to defend itself." Hagrid said cautiously. Hermione's head shot up.

"So they… I mean Luna and her father were being cruel to the Snorack, they were mistreating a magical creature." Hermione said with a plotting look on her face. "I think that I should bring that up at the next S.P.E.W. meeting." Hermione finished. Cho looked at her blankly.

"Wh… what's Spew?" she asked pronouncing the acronym as the word that Ron had always called it by. Hermione gave a sigh.

"S.P.E.W. is My Magic Creatures Protection Organization. It stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare, but we also concern ourselves with the protection of other magical creatures. If Luna and her father have been mistreating poor Frosty I can assure you that… "

"Oh give it a rest Hermione. Stop looking for excuses to bring down Luna. You know that you're better than that, so just cut it out." Harry cut in. Hermione gasped.

"Harry I can assure you that I'm sincerely interested in the welfare of Frosty, that's all." She said defensively. Hagrid put up his bandaged hands to silence everyone.

"Now look Hermione, I can assure you that the most humane means available were used to bring Frosty in, and that I would never hurt a head on his head… err if he has any hair that is." Hagrid finished unsure. Oliver Skint who had just received his note from Hagrid looked none to pleased.

"Professor Hagrid, how could you have a dangerous creature like that around? I mean it endangers the students don't it?" Oliver asked hotly. Hagrid just smiled at Skint.

"Cores not. I never lost a student to a magical creature in my life. Now, you can all go now, I have some paperwork ta get through, and it takes me hours to fill out a page. Good morning." Hagrid finished. Everyone said their goodbyes, and started walking toward the castle. When they were halfway up the path Harry called out.

"**Cho!"** Harry called. Cho turned to him with a worried look on her face.

"Yes Harry?" she asked. Harry fidgeted around.

"Could I have a word with you real quick?" He asked. Cho nodded with a slight smile, and walked back to him, as Granger and Skint continued up the walkway. Harry smiled at her. "Well I… I just wanted to say that it was a really nice thing that you did, standing up for Luna and all. I was really impressed, and well… I just wanted to say… I just wanted to say that I'm proud of you." Harry finished. A tear started welling up in Cho's eye. Oh no, not again Harry thought. How many times can one person cry? But Cho did not cry, but gave Harry a tight hug. Harry could again smell the sent of vanilla in her hair, and felt her tremble. He embraced her as well. Her face was warm, and he became aroused. It took everything he had, but he slowly pulled away. Cho thanked him for the complement, and they headed back to the castle. Suddenly Harry stopped and held Cho's arm. She turned to look at him, and he looked to make sure that Skint was far enough ahead to be out of earshot. He pulled out a note and handed it to Cho. "Look, I tried to send this to you last night, but you didn't get it. I told the owl to come back, if it couldn't reach you, as I didn't want it bringing you the note at breakfast. Did you fall asleep last night?" Harry asked. Cho's expression turned to one of embarrassment. She looked up at Harry with shiny almond shaped eyes.

"Uh… well actually Harry Luna and I… " Cho started, about to tell Harry of her adventure the night before, but then realized that Harry might think less of her for sneaking out after curfew, and changed her mind. "Well Harry, Luna and I were studying late in the common room, and I fell asleep. I'm really sorry!" Cho pleaded. Harry gave her a pat on the back.

"It's okay. Look this Saturday lets meet up somewhere private… like the room of requirement. We should be there around five thirty." He said. Cho was elated. Harry wanted to spend time with her in private. She could ask him so many things about himself that she had wanted to know, things that went beyond him being _The Harry Potter._ And now he wanted to be with her. Maybe Harry and Hermione Granger really were breaking up. "And don't tell anyone but Luna. You two have to be there on time." Harry said. Cho nodded her head.

"Right Harry, I… wait, what do you mean _bring Luna?" _Cho asked confused. Harry looked at her unsure of why she didn't get the statement.

"Well because I'm going to need her there tomorrow as well. She was there with you when you two were listening in on Marietta. I'll bring Hermione and Ron, and well all put our heads together to try and guess what Marietta is up too." Harry said. Cho gasped. Oh no, she thought to herself. Harry didn't want to spend time with her on Saturday, he just wanted to find out what Marietta was up to, and he was bringing Miss Granger, a girl that after what had happened at Magical Creatures class, she was sure that she didn't like.

"Um… Harry I can't come. I have a lot of work to do. I have to study, and…" Cho stammered. Harry put his arm around Cho.

"Look Cho this could be important, what if she's working for You-Know-Who?" He said.

"Scoff! Harry Marietta couldn't possibly do that. I mean she's become mean, but she could never do… _that! _How could any student here?" Cho said. Harry gave her a sincere look.

"Well I know a few that are probable plotting against this school right now, but if Marietta's not capable of siding with him, than she's probably doing something on a more local level. I think that we should find out what it is." Harry stated. Cho hesitated, and she looked unsure. She just didn't want to be in the same room when Harry and Hermione were together. If she saw the two of them kiss she would be devastated for life. Harry faced her, and she looked into his emerald green eyes, hypnotized with a feeling of warmth that only he could make her feel. "Please Cho… I need you there. It's important. Will you come?" Harry pleaded. Cho was in a daze. Harry needed her. He needed her to be there for him, and she couldn't let him down. She would just have to suffer Miss Granger, if she wanted to help Harry.

"Sure Harry. Five thirty. I… Luna and I will be there." Cho said. Harry hugged her again, and she felt as though she mite go limp in his arms. His face suddenly became one of concern.

"Are you okay Cho?" he asked with a worried look in his eyes.

"Yes Harry, why?" Cho asked not understanding his concern.

"Well it's just that… you're breaking a sweat, and it's not terribly warm out side." Harry finished. Cho reassured him that she was okay, and the two hugged once more, and went to their respective classes. Harry was having trouble concentrating through the day, as he thought of Cho's warm body against him, and recalled her cute soothing Scottish accent. He tried to put her out of his mind, but it was difficult.

**Later that day:** Harry and Ron sat in the back of Defense Against Dark Arts class, and opened their books. Hermione as usual for that day sat at the front, more to be away from Ron, than to soak up knowledge it seemed. Professor Snape was discussing some weapons to use against vampires. Ron leaned over to Harry.

"I wish she would come sit by me once today. And I wish she could apologize to Luna." Ron said bitterly.

"Don't worry Ron, she's going to apologize. I know that she feels real bad about what she did, and will make it right. I told you that she promised Cho she would after you and Luna left." Harry said.

"Still she was lucky that I was able to console poor Luna, and make her happy again… I can't believe that there really is a Crumple Horned Snorack! But after you described its blast, I'm kind of glad I missed it." Ron said quietly. Harry nodded.

"Well at least standing up for Luna gave you some points with her… I…" Harry was interrupted.

"**Mr. Potter!"** yelled Snape. Harry jumped. Snape walked hastily over to him. "Mr. Potter, do you have your parchment assignment?" Snape asked with a mischievous grin. Harry began to sweat.

"Err… yes professor. Here." Harry said as he handed Professor Snape the parchment. Snape swiped it from him violently and started reading it as he walked back to his desk. After a few minutes Professor Snape stood up to the podium with Harry's parchment. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, and spoke with a deep sinister sounding voice.

"Now class here we have an example of a student who doesn't pay attention to the instructions of…" Snape was interrupted by the door opening, and Pansy Parkinson slowly and quietly walked up to him, handed him a piece of parchment, and pointed to Harry. After a couple of minutes of discussion between the two Snape gave Harry a hateful look.

"Mr. Potter! Your presence is requested at Mr. Filches office. You will go with Miss Parkinson, and we will discuss your pathetic excuse for homework on Monday. Harry raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Why does Filch want to see me?" Harry asked. Snape gave him a look, like he was going to toss him out the door, but kept his decorum.

"I don't know, and I don't care, but probably because he has some proof of some mischief you've been into. Get out; I have real students in here who actually stand a chance of graduating." Snape said pointing Harry to Miss Parkinson and the door. Harry didn't need to be told a second time. At least he would be away from Professor Snape.

When Harry and Pansy were walking down the corridor's he turned to her.

"Um… excuse me, but do you know why Filch wants to see me?" Harry asked. Pansy smiled.

"Perhaps it's as the Professor said. Maybe you've caused some trouble, and Filch has some proof on you Potter." She said with a slight smile. Harry scoffed.

"Ha! No way. I've haven't been here long enough to do anything." He thought. They continued walking and Harry would stare at Pansy's figure on occasion. She was much more slender than last year, and the summer had been good to her. He started to walk closer to her, and entertained the idea, of putting his arm around her. He mite have if she hadn't been a Slytheren, and a prefect. Pansy made a turn away from the corridor leading to Filche's office. Harry stopped.

"Wait… Filche's office is that way." Harry said pointing in the opposite direction from Pansy's chosen path. She smiled.

"So it is… and who said Filch wanted to see you in his office?" She asked. Harry scratched his head.

"Well I just assumed…" Harry started. Pansy gave him a flirtatious smile, and beckoned him to follow her.

"This way Potter." She said.

"It's Harry. You can call me Harry." He said. Pansy led him on until they came to the girls' lavatory. Pansy stopped in front of the door, and raped on it three times.

"This way… Harry." She said in a sexual tone. Harry looked at the door, and scoffed.

"Pansy… this is the _girl's lavatory_, the one that's closed down because it's haunted by Moaning Myrtle. What's going on? Is Filch inside?" Harry asked suspiciously. Pansy gave him another flirtatious look, and smiled.

"Well… maybe I wanted to have a few moments with you first" she said, as she ran her hand over his chest. Harry scoffed, but her hand felt good even through the fabric of his shirt.

"I thought that you didn't like muggle-borne's." Harry said. Pansy smiled.

"Well… there are exceptions to the rule. I mean after all, you are _The Boy Who_ lived aren't you?" she said. Harry smiled. I certainly am. Pansy unbuttoned the top button of her uniform, and started in the door.

"Than come on… I have something I want to show you." She finished, as she walked inside. Harry sensed something was wrong, but he was also very aroused. He took in a deep breath and walked in the room. When he walked in he saw Pansy facing him, and off to her left a blue beam coming out of one of the stalls and hitting what looked like a stunned Moaning Myrtle. She was just hanging in the air, see through, and eyes closes, and drooling from her mouth. Suddenly Harry's peripheral vision kicked in and he noticed others on both sides of him.

"**Hey!"** He shouted. Harry reached for his wand again only seconds too late. Two boys grabbed him, and held his arms. "Let me go! Let me go!" Harry shouted. Pansy let out a playful laugh.

"Now, now Potter. Calm down." She said with a bright smile. She walked toward him, put her mouth close to his ear, and whispered seductively.

"I think you have something I want." She said, as she put her hand on his stomach, and moved it down to the hard protrusion sticking out of his pants. Pansy smiled even wider. "Is that a wand in your pocket Potter, or are you just glad to see me?" she joked, as she pulled out his wand from his pocket, and backed away. Harry wasn't amused. He struggled to free himself from the firm grip of the two boys, but they held him in iron grips.

"What do you want Pansy? Why did you bring me here?" Harry asked with hostility. Suddenly he heard another girl's voice.

"Why dear Potter… she brought you here to see me." Came the voice. The blue beam that had been trained on Myrtle suddenly turned off and Marietta Edgencombe stepped out of the bathroom stall. Harry recognized her at once.

Marietta Edgencombe! What is it that you want then?" Harry asked still struggling to break free of the impossible grip. Marietta tossed her head.

"Oh, nothing much for now. Just to remind you to go to the Quidditch Pitch early today. And to go strait to the changing room when you do." She said. Harry shook his head to clear it.  
"What? What does my Quidditch have to do with you?" Marietta smiled as she held up her wand.

"Just for today Potter… everything." Marietta finished, as she lifted up her own wand. **"Obliviate!"**


	24. Chapter 24

Black's Phoenix: Wow. I'm really sorry to hear that. You're my longest reader, but I can't say that I blame you. The story's not really that good, and has way too much filler. If it's the jealous Hermione thing, well that's an idea I had from the beginning. I did note that she regretted it after she said that about Luna. Or if it's the whole thing about Marietta doping Harry again, well he fell into her trap because he didn't remember being memory charmed on the train. But Marietta's going to be sort of like Voldermort was in his school days, but less of a threat than him, sort of like Voldermort is the Greatest Dark Wizard of his time, and Dumbledore is the good in the world that balances him out, Marietta is the evil that will be balanced out by someone too. I'll be sorry to lose your interest, but I'm really not that creative. But thank you for staying this far:)

Tiyuri: Thanks again for your support, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter as well, I know that Marietta giving Harry a memory charm might seem repetitive, but it was something she had planed for all summer. Those dark books she was reading were not about how to kill someone, but some other evil purpose. I promises to write you soon in answer to your letter, but I had to get this finished, before I responded. Thanks for your concern.

Chaos666: Thanks for the review, Marietta likes to take a hands own approach with her work. Being in Ravenclaw, she likes to plan ahead, and this plan was all summer in the making, with help from outside Hogwarts, but rest assured that the lion's share of the credit goes to her. Now you will get a glimpse of the result, but not how it went down just yet.

xHx: Where is your review? I look forward too it:)

Summet: Still there?

Okay… I feel I should explain something about Marietta's constant nudity, or actually the shape shifters nudity. It can assume any organic form, but not like the clothing. So when it arrives as Miss Norris, who isn't wearing any clothes, it is essentially nude. If it wore a flea collar as Miss Norris, and changed to Harry, it would strangle itself to death as it's neck became to large to the collar, unless it was able to lose it between forms, as a blob. **Sorry! **Anyway, to put it short, creature must be nude, because it cannot assume clothing while mimicking someone. Also Marietta is able to zap Harry with a memory charm so much because Harry is never aware that he was zapped in the first place.

Oh! Did anyone get the "Fiona Burrows" Easter egg in chapter 18? Just curious.

**Chapter 24: Missing Time**

**Harry's POV:**

Harry walked down the path toward the Quidditch Pitch. He had gotten up and walked out of the last few minutes of his charms class to do it. It was just as well, he wasn't able to work any charms anyway, as he had forgotten his wand somewhere. He had somehow misplaced it, while in Filche's office, or after leaving it. He didn't remember exactly why he had been there, but he must have left it there. It's the only place that it could be. He wasn't sure why he felt such a strong need to go to the pitch so early, but he knew that he needed to for some reason. His desire to go to the pitch was even greater than his desire to retrieve his wand. Harry would just have to wait and see Filch after the game. As Harry walked, he passed within several meters of the Womping Willow, and reflected on the times that it had almost killed him. The tree was now still and harmless looking, but Harry knew that it was only a façade, and that it would violently attack any student that got too close.

Harry continued down to the area where the Gryffindor team changed clothes and discussed strategy. He opened the door, to the changing room and stopped dead when he saw who was there waiting for him. It was Marietta Edgencombe, and Miss Norris. Harry was livid. Marietta Edgencombe disrupted his DA classes last year, and almost got everyone suspended, and Dumbledore kicked out of Hogwarts. So that was reason enough not to like her. But there was something else about her that made him furious. He couldn't imagine what it was. Perhaps it was because of the story Cho and Sir Nicolas told him, about her mysteriously sneaking about, or perhaps he was taking what happened last year a little to personally, but his instincts told him that she was very dangerous, and now she was in the Gryffindor changing room where she didn't belong, and he wasn't about to stand for it.

"**What are _you_ doing here?"** Harry shouted angrily. Marietta, who had an unpleasant look on her face before Harry spoke now turned red, and shouted back at him.

"**It's about time you showed up you stupid mudblood! I had to leave my Herbology class to deal with you, and lost twenty points from my house! Now shut up and come here."** She screamed. Harry was taken aback. What did she mean it was about time that he got there? He had made no plans to be with her, he would never. And how would it have been his fault that she lost points for leaving class. But she seemed to be expecting him, and he didn't even understand why he had come here so early.

"**Don't tell me what to do! This is the Gryffindor locker room, and you're not allowed. Get out, before I toss you out on your arse!" **Harry screamed with great hostility. Marietta clenched her fist, and stared at Harry with utter contempt. She pulled out a wand and pointed it at him. Harry didn't move, but looked around for a possible escape. Marietta held the wand pointed at his torso. She spoke again, more controlled this time.

"Recognize this wand Potter?" she said. Harry looked at the wand, and instantly recognized it as his. He struggled to calm himself, from leaping at Marietta and getting his wand back, as she would probably be able to blast him at this range with relative ease.

"_Give… me… my wand… back Marietta. Right now!" _Marietta smiled.

"Sure thing mudblood, just as soon as I'm done with it. **Obliviate!"** Marietta said and the incompatible wand popped out of her hand, and on to the floor between them. Marietta and Harry both dived for the wand at the same time, and hit their heads together, with a thud. Harry and Marietta were now both on the grassy floor, rubbing their heads; in sever pain, for a few seconds. Harry recovered faster and grabbed his wand before Marietta could reach it. Marietta started to reach for her own wand to counter him, but as she looked up saw that Harry already had his pointed at her neck, and she gasped.

"Don't even think about it! Take your hands away from your pockets Marietta! _Now!" _Marietta gave Harry a dirty look, but did as he said. Harry looked at her curiously.

"Now, you're going to answer some questions that I have. Why are you sneaking around here, why were you trying to put a memory charm on me, and why have you been sneaking around the castle at night, after curfew?" Harry inquired with an angry tone in his voice. Marietta sat up against a wooden post to support herself.

"It's none of you business Potter. **Sod off!" **Marietta said with an aire of deep hatred. Harry put the wand right to her throat. I want answers, or you'll be spewing out slugs for a week. You know I'll do it. Why were you trying to wipe my mind?" Marietta watched Miss Norris maneuver around behind Harry. Then she looked up at Harry and smiled.

"Why dear Potter, I needed you to forget that I was ever here, so that you could concentrate on telling your team what they needed to do to win this game today. This is a very _important_ game for you, and I'm going to make sure that you do everything you're supposed to." She smiled. Harry scoffed.

"Oh really Marietta? Quidditch fan are you? Why the keen interest in Gryffindor winning a practice game against Hufflepuff? I mean were going to win no matter what. Are you betting on it or something?" Harry asked, not believing that Marietta would be forthcoming with the truth. Marietta smiled at him.

"Something like that Potter. But it's not weather you win or lose, but _how_ you play the game." She said and looked past Harry wide smile and bright eyes. Suddenly two hands grabbed for the wand in Harry's hands. He kept a firm grip on it until he turned to see who was trying to wrestle it away from him. It was Marietta, naked! Harry thought he was going mad, but he was looking right at her in front of him, and totally in the buff. She had a determined look in her eyes, and he loosened his grip on the wand out of shock. Harry looked back to see the other Marietta getting up and dusting herself off. Suddenly he felt the wand slip from his hands, and the nude Marietta pointed the wand at his throat. "No!" The first Marietta screamed; don't use it on him while you're me. She reached for her own wand, and stuck it to Harry's back. "Don't move Potter! Or else." She said. The nude Marietta backed away from Harry, and spoke to the clothed Marietta.

"We're running behind schedule, the rest of the team will be here soon. Let's get on with it." she said nervously. Harry was in a state of total confusion, did Marietta have a twin sister? And wouldn't he have noticed her in school at some point? And what were they running behind schedule for anyway? And why wasn't she wearing any clothes? Harry never got a chance to find out.

**Marietta's POV:**

"**Obliviate!"** screamed Marietta, as she zapped Harry with the memory charm, and he froze his mind empty for that moment. Marietta smiled. "Now, Potter, your going to tell me everything I want to know, beginning with how you knew about me sneaking out at night." She said maliciously. The other Marietta gave her a worried look.

"No, Marietta. There isn't any time, just erase his memory of what happened here so you can go before people start arriving." The other Marietta said. Marietta frowned.

"Oh... alright. Potter you will have no memory of anything that happened after you opened the changing room door. Understand?" Marietta asked frustrated. Harry under the hypnotic effect of the memory charm shook his head, in unwilling agreement. Merritta smiled. "Good! Now love, do what you have to now." She said happily. The nude Marietta pointed her finger at Harry and a silvery string came out of her finger and stuck in Harry's head. After a few seconds, Harry fell down unconscious. The nude Marietta started to remove his clothes, but Marietta stopped her. "No. I was able to get his Quidditch uniform. Use that. It's over there." She said pointing to the bench on the wall. "How long will he be out?" she asked. The nude Marietta melted to the floor in the shape of a clear blob, and after a few seconds reformed as Harry Potter, still nude. He moved over to the bench and put on the Quidditch uniform. It fit perfectly. Harry then turned to help Marietta with the unconscious image of himself. And together they moved the body to an out of the way corner. Marietta walked over to another corner, and pulled the invisibility cloak from over the cage containing the real Miss Norris, who was fast asleep. She then crossed back over to the spot where Harry was, and covered his body with it. Harry disappeared underneath the cloak. Marietta looked up at the imposter Harry, and inquired how much time they had before he woke up on his own. An hour and a half, maybe two, came the reply.

"Then you know what you have to do don't you?" Marietta asked. Harry gave her an annoyed look.

"Of course, we've only been over it a hundred times. No leave, before someone sees you." Marietta said her good bye and started out the door.

"Wait!" said the fake Harry. "No good luck kiss?" he asked. Marietta looked him over.

"Ha! While you're that mudblood? I should say not." She said. "Waite until you can become Semis Finnegan, and then we'll have some fun." She finished, and left in a run toward the castle, making it to the inner gate, as students were filing out of their final classes. She moved toward the great hall, past Ron Weasley and Luna Lovegood who were walking arm in arm together. Finally Marietta sat down beside Danielle Forester exhausted after her preparations. Danielle looked at her.

"Is everything set Marietta?" Danielle asked. Marietta nodded, and pulled a plate full of cherry pie toward her. Danielle leaned in closer. "Do you really think that it will work?" she asked. Marietta gulped down a spoon full of the pie, before she answered.

"Well, we'll know soon enough wont' we. Just keep your ears open for news, especially from the Hufflepuff table.

**Harry's POV:**

"**Harry, wake up! Wake up!"** Ron said nervously. Harry slowly opened his eyes. What… where am I?" Harry asked in a stupor.

"Your in big trouble, that's where you are!" shouted Katie Bell. "What were you thinking?" Do you want to get expelled? Do you want to get some one killed?" she demanded in an angry tone. Harry's face was blank.

"What are you talking about?" Harry was coming out of his daze. Ron looked at him very concerned.

"Harry, why did you do that to that poor Miggins girl? You could have really hurt her!" Ron finished. Harry looked around bewildered.

"What are you all talking about?" Harry said. Suddenly the door to the changing room snapped open, and Emit Walsh, and two of his team mates, and boy and a girl rushed in the room, Walsh was holding his wand at the ready and his team mates were holding their Quidditch bats in threatening postures. Walsh spotted Harry on the floor, and started screaming.

"**What the hell do you think you're playing at Potter? Is this your idea of taking it easy on someone? You think that knocking someone off their broom like that is funny? Well I'm going to show you funny." **Walsh screamed at the top of his lungs, as a few of Harry's teammates blocked Walsh and his beaters from getting to him. Ron put his hands up to stop him from zapping Harry.

"Now, now Walsh, look, were sorry about what happened. Really! It was all a mistake." Ron said sincerely apologetic. Walsh looked as if he was going to tear into Ron at any moment.  
"Some mistake. It was only supposed to be a bloody practice game. You bastards must want that cup pretty bad to stoop this low. Well it's not going to happen! I'm going strait to my head of house about this, and I'm sure she'll be having a word with the head master. Each of the Gryffindors was apologizing for Harry's actions, as well as their own, but Harry thought that he had only just arrived at the pitch; he was still in his school uniform.

"What did I do? What am I being accused of?" Harry pleaded nervously. Walsh looked at him with a hateful rage, still trying to push past Ron, who was trying to calm him down.

"Don't give me any of that Potter, you know bloody well what you did!" he said. Walsh then looked around at all the other Gryffindors as well. "All of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Is this the way you intend to play the game from now on?" He asked rhetorically. "**Fine!** From now on it's like Potter says… _Quidditch is a tough sport! If you can't take it maybe, you shouldn't be playing. _Well, we shall see how you lot like it when you're the ones on the receiving end of such abuse." Walsh then looked at Harry, and pointed an accusing finger at him. "And if I ever get the chance Potter, I'll deal with you personally." He finished. Harry was still in shock.

"Look Walsh… I, I haven't even played Quidditch today. I never said that." Harry said as he looked himself over. "Look! I'm still in my school Uniform. How could I have played in this?" Ginny walked over behind Harry, and picked up his Quidditch uniform.

"You did get changed rather fast Harry. You were only in here for a few minutes. Are you telling us that you have no memory of what just happened outside?" Ginny asked. Harry looked at her sincerely. "Honestly, I must have past out. I don't know what anyone's talking about. I haven't played Quidditch today!" Harry shouted.

"Look Walsh, this has all been a terrible mistake. Harry, apologize to Walsh." Ron said. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Apologize… for what? I don't even know what I'm being accused of!" Harry said. Walsh and his beaters again tried to push their way through the Gryffindor team, but were held back.

"Don't try and play the slippery eel with me Potter, you're just worried about getting into trouble now that you and your team have taken things to far. Well rest assured that the next time we play were going to be using the playbook. And I wouldn't give a rat's arse if you did say you were sorry. After today I don't want to see your face until the official match. Come on guys," Walsh said in anger, as he and his beaters headed out the door. Harry was very upset, but wanted to ask Walsh what had happened.

"Walsh?" Harry shouted, as he started towards the door. Walsh turned around, and took a deep breath.

"You know Potter, it's really sad. I thought you were a nice guy, and I really thought that you were a great hero for what you did at the Ministry last year. But looking at you now, I wonder if the papers weren't right the first time. I wouldn't have expected this type of behavior from a Slytheren." Walsh finished, and left the room flanked by his beaters. Harry feeling numb sat on the grass.

"Where are they going?" He asked. A few of his team mates just shook their heads and left as well. Katie Bell looked at Harry with pity.

"I expect that there going to visit Miss Miggins in hospital. You mite want to stay clear of Hufflepuff's for a while. And I think that you need to see our Professor McGonagall before Walsh sees Professor Sprout. It will be better if you have a chance to explain your side of the story first." Katie said. Harry felt he was going to vomit. He looked up at Katie.

"I don't even know what _my_ side of the story is!" He said, as Ron helped him up off the ground.

"Harry you have to promise me that you're serious about not remembering anything." Ron said in the most serious tone. Harry nodded.

"I am serious! I don't remember anything Ron. It's as if I'm missing the time since when I arrived, and now." He said. Ron nodded.

"Okay, let's go see Professor McGonagall. I'll explain everything on the way there." Ron finished.


	25. Chapter 25

Tiyuri: Thanks again for reading the last chapter, and for your concern in general about me. I hope that this one keeps you interested. I'm very grateful for your interest.

Well there is not much to say about this chapter, except that thankfully the long day ends. The events between the time Harry got zapped and when Ron woke him up will be revealed in great detail in a future chapter. Um… well… I think I don't have so many readers anymore, but if anyone's left, thanks again. Take care all.

**Chapter 25: Dinner in the Common Room**

Cho sat on a bench against the wall of the castle, in an out of the way area. She looked around to make sure that she was alone. Once she was sure, she opened the letter from Harry, flattened it out against her Herbology book, and read it to herself again.

**_Dear Cho,_**

**_I've been thinking about what the ghost have been telling us that Marietta, and Filch have been up to over the summer. It all seems really devious, and I think that you and Luna were right to keep tabs on Marietta, to make sure that she doesn't cause any trouble. I think that we should tell the ghost to look for the second bewitched room. Well at least just Sir Nicholas, and The Gray Lady, I'm sure we could trust the Fat Friar as well, but if you tell everyone a secrete, than it's not a secrete anymore is it? Besides, I really don't want the Bloody Barron finding out either. I really don't think that I could trust a Slytheren ghost, no matter how long he's been in this school. _**

_**Cho, I really am glad that you and Marietta are not friends anymore. You always did seem to be really nice. I'm sorry about what happened on Valentines Day last year, and about a lot of stuff that went on. I just can tell you that a lot was going on that you don't know about, and that I can perhaps never tell you. I just hope you'll understand. I really am glad that we can be friends again. Also Hermione told me that you warned her about Marietta, and I'm really impressed. I know that even thou you and Marietta are not friends anymore, it couldn't have been easy for you to go against someone you had been friends with for a while. Thanks for doing the right thing. Hermione is really special to me, and I'm grateful too you. We both are. **_

**_One last thing. I was thinking that we all needed to put our heads together on this thing. I think that we should meet in the room of requirement on Saturday. Most of the students will be outside if this good weather holds up, and no one will be looking for students gathering there, since there are no DA classes. We can all be assured of secrecy. But remember Cho; don't breathe a word of this to anyone, but Luna. Nothing against you, but I can't have anything like what happened last year, take place again. I trust you Cho. _**

_**You're Friend,**_

_**Harry Potter**_

Cho was severely depressed. Harry was evidently still in love with his girlfriend Hermione Granger, and tomorrow Cho was going to have to spend at least an hour with her. Between her being Harry's girlfriend, and the way that she treated Luna, Cho was going to have a terrible time at the meeting. Cho was happy that Harry was proud of her for warning Hermione, but Cho didn't think it was very special. Wouldn't anyone else have done the same thing? Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean that you wish any harm on them. And Harry still evidently had trust issues with Cho, not because he didn't trust her personally, but because Cho had made a poor choice in friends, a poor choice in her best friend to add. If only she could go back, if only she could have seen Marietta for the person that she was. But she couldn't, and now it probably ruined any chance that she could have had with Harry. Cho let out a deep sigh. She knew that she could never look at Harry as just a friend, but if that's what he needed right now, than she was going to be the best friend that she could to him. She would just have to keep her love for him a secrete to herself, and find some way to deal with the pain. She pulled out a quill and some parchment from her book bag, and began to write a short letter to Harry telling him that Luna, and herself would be at the room of requirement at five thirty on Saturday, and mentioning that she wanted Hermione to apologize to Luna, when they got there. She also noted that she would do what ever she could to help in any way she was able. When she had finished she sealed the letter, and started off to the Owlery to send the message. As Cho tried to cheer herself up she reflected on the fact that Marietta had been chastised by Madam Sprout as she left Herbology class without permission. But even that was not really good news, as she had lost twenty points from Ravenclaw, for the infraction as well. Cho packed up her books and started off towards the owlary, to have an owl deliver the message to Harry. As she walked in the door to the castle Emit Walsh and two of his Hufflepuff Quidditch team stormed in the door, still in Quidditch uniforms nearly knocked her over as they rushed into the main entrance in a huff. He stopped to check on her.

"Oh… err, sorry Chang. Are you okay?" he asked sincerely.

"Yea, I'm okay." Cho said weakly. She looked at their uniforms. "Were you guys playing another house today?" she asked, wondering if Harry was at practice today. A look of controlled rage came over Walsh's face, and his team mates looked none to pleased as well.

"Yea, we were playing a bunch of gits that can't follow the rules of the game. I'm going to report their reprehensible conduct to my head of house, they almost got my seeker, Cindy Miggins killed." He said hotly. Cho raised an eyebrow. "My god I didn't know that the Slytheren team had become so brazen. I mean they had always tried to get away with a couple of cheap shots before, but…" Cho started.

"No Chang, I mean the Gryffindors! Especially that… that… **Potter!** He's the one that almost killed Miggins. I'm going to request he be expelled, despite his celebrity status." Walsh finished. Cho couldn't believe what she was hearing. She looked at Walsh with disbelief.

"Walsh you must be mistaken. It was an accident if Harry caused her to fall. You know he would never do anything like that. I know Harry, he's a good person, he…"

"Look Chang, don't go defending that… don't go defending him to me, he was happy about it. Kept saying that Quidditch was an aggressive sport not for the faint of heart, and if we didn't like it that maybe we should go play Quidditch with the under fives. Of course after he gathered that I was going to my head of house, he denied everything, but I'm not going to let him get away with it. If you don't believe me ask anyone on my team." Walsh said and turned to Max Beck, his male beater. "Max, tell Cho that I'm serious about it." Max nodded his head.

"It's true Miss Chang. Harry and his team were really rough beyond what was necessary, and Potter was damn violent. He even tried to knock Fred Gibson off his broom during the match because he was about to score the Quaffel." Max said. Cho shook her head.

"Look I… I know Harry must have an excuse for what he did… he…"

"What excuse Chang? You weren't there. You didn't see the match. Don't go defending Potter just because he's _the boy who lived_. I read some material about him, and his victory came with some odd circumstances. I wonder just how much of it's true." Max said. Cho looked at him with an upset look on her face.

"What have you been reading that says that?" Cho asked. Max looked around defensively.

"Well I, just stuff. Look it doesn't matter. The thing is that Potter practically attacked us, and encouraged his team to do the same. So what do you think his excuse is?" Max stated. Cho was at a loss for words. She couldn't think that Harry would ever do anything like that, but she couldn't think of any reason why the two people in front of her would lie.

"Well… I'll ask him." She said even more upset. Walsh gave her a dirty look.

"You do that Chang, and tell him not to let me catch him alone in the halls either." Walsh said. Now an angry look came over Cho's face.

"Don't you touch him Walsh! I'll get everything cleared up, but if you lay a hand on him, you'll have to answer to me." Cho said. Walsh shook his head, and the two beaters laughed. Everyone knew that Cho had reparation of crying often, about a lot of things, and didn't seem to poses the skills of a fighter. The three of them walked off without another word. Cho started up the stairs toward the part of the castle where the owlery was located, and tears started to drop from her eyes, as she worried about Harry.

Harry was dumbstruck at what Ron was telling him, as they sat in Professor McGonagall's Office. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Ron, I… I don't remember any of it. I don't. The last thing I do remember is leaving charms class and going down to the locker room. And then nothing! What could have happened?" Harry asked with nervous anticipation of Professor McGonagall's impending arrival. Ron looked at him on the edge of disbelief.

"Why did you leave charms class to go to the pitch Harry? And why didn't you just tell Flitwick that you were ill? Because he thought you were ignoring him he took ten points off of Gryffindor because of it." Harry tried to search his mind as to why he had left charms class.

"I… I honestly don't know. I can't remember much, only that I needed to go to the pitch. Oh! I just remembered that I lost my wand. I have to go to Filche's office, and get it." Harry finished. Ron looked at him oddly.

"Well better wait for the Professor first Harry. I think were in a lot of trouble." Ron said. Just then the door to the office opened and Professor McGonagall entered. She quickly took her seat, and placed a glowing blue orb on her desk.

"Now Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. I understand that you both have something to tell me." She said casually. Ron recanted the story that he had just told Harry in great detail, and they both explained that Harry had no memory of it. After they had finished Professor McGonagall closed her eyes and lowered her head, giving herself a moment to take it all in. After a few moments she raised her head again and spoke.

"Mr. Potter. I'm sure that you didn't mean to do this. I think that you may have been under the influence of You-Know-Who, but until we can prove that I'm afraid that some disciplinary action must be taken. I'm sure that Professor Sprout will be livid when she finds out one of her students almost got killed by being attacked by you. I don't know how Dumbledore and I are going to explain this to her." she said. Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall with a worried face.

"But why should I be punished for something I didn't have any control of? I mean if Voldermort…" Harry stopped in mid-sentence, as he saw both Professor McGonagall and Ron jump at the mention of the name. He gave a deep sigh. "…if You-Know-Who is controlling me, I could get in trouble a lot more. I'll be expelled. This isn't fair." Harry complained. Professor McGonagall looked at him with pity. I realize that it's not Mr. Potter, but until we can find away to get You-Know-Who out of your head. I'm afraid that you're going to have to be put in detention every week day after class, and that you're not to be permitted to go to Hogsmead for the time being either. It's not safe for you outside the school." She said.

"Doesn't look like it's too safe for em inside the school either." said Ron. Professor McGonagall stood up and took the glowing orb off her desk, and put it in her pocket.

"I'm going to go get Professor Sprout, and have her come to the head masters office with me. Just go to the Gryffindor Dorms. I'll have a house elf bring dinner up to you. Don't go eat in the great hall tonight, I think that after what you both told me that you need to avoid Hufflepuff's for a while." She finished, and left. Harry and Ron got up and headed to the Gryffindor dorms, getting dirty looks from a few Hufflepuffs as they did. Evidently word had spread fast, but no one tried to molest them.

Cho Chang sat on the lavatory toilet with her Herbology book open, trying to concentrate as she read the same sentence over again for the seventh time, still not understanding what it said. She was in the rest room because everywhere else that she tried to study she heard people talking about how Harry had flipped out at the Quidditch pitch, and almost gotten a girl killed. A first Cho had tried to argue with a couple of people in the library about it, but soon found that one of the people making the accusation was an eye witness on his own team, and Cho only ended up getting in heated argument defending Harry, just like last year. Still Cho knew that Harry had to have a good explanation for what he did, but she couldn't think of what it was. She worried about him, remembering Walsh's threats, and her worrying made it all that much harder to concentrate on her studies. She really had to talk to Harry about it soon, but couldn't send owls back and fourth. "Oh, if only the Wizarding world had phones, like the Muggles did, especially cellular phones, Cho could just call him up, and ask him to explain. He would have a good excuse and she could explain it to her friends that she was trying to avoid right now, because in her common room that's all they were talking about as well, and Cho never liked to hear what Beverly said about Harry. Also Cho and Beverly had gotten in another fight about the Crumple Horned Snorack. After Cho had explained to Beverly that it was real, Beverly had accused Cho of still trying to cover for Luna's active imagination, and refused to go down to the fenced in area behind Professor Hagrid's hut, to confirm that it was true. Her other room mates were of like mind as Beverly, and that's why Cho was trying in vein to do her home work in the girls lavatory. The thought of sneaking out to try and find the secrete passage that led to the Gryffindor Dorms, to visit Harry came to her, but she knew that she would not be able to find it anymore than she could find the second bewitched room. Saturday at five thirty couldn't come soon enough Cho thought, desperately wanting to see Harry. She closed her book, she couldn't concentrate anyway. She would just go to bed early tonight. Maybe she could try and do her homework tomorrow. She had better she thought, because she wasn't close to where she needed to be. Cho made her way back to her dorm room and flung herself down on the bed. She closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to set in.

Harry was frustrated. Many of his own team didn't believe him about his mind being erased. He tried to tell them about You-Know-Who being in his head, but he wasn't able to divulge all the information to them, as it would give away stuff about the order. There were still students who believed him, about half, but he had fallen out of favor with enough of his fellow Gryffindors, for it to hurt him. He wondered what Fiona and Cho would think of him. As he was sitting at a table, talking to Ron in the common room, he heard a familiar voice speak to him.

"Harry Potter, Dobby brings you dinner." Came the familiar voice of his friend and favorite house elf. Dobby snapped his fingers and the table in front of Harry and Ron was filled with delicious food and pudding. Harry smiled, and his stomach gave a grumble, he hadn't had anything to eat since lunch.

"Dobby! Oh thanks! How have you been?" Harry asked. Dobby smiled at Harry.

"Dobby has been very good; Dobby is just back from his holiday at the Hogwart's Lake. Dobby has enjoyed it very much, and will go again next week." Ron raised an eyebrow.

"The lake? Doesn't sound like much of a holiday to me. You could go to Wales or something if you wanted too." Ron stated mater of factly.

"Dobby is not wanting to stay too far away from Hogwarts, as Dobby may be needed" Dobby said proudly. A thought came to Harry. He leaned down to Dobby.

"Hey Dobby, have you or any of the other house elves heard anything about a bewitched, ghost proof room?" he asked. Dobby nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Yes! Dobby knows the room! The caretaker Mr. Filch has that room. The ghost loves that room." Dobby said.

"Err… no I mean another bewitched room. Do you know of any other one?" Harry asked. Dobby scratched his head, trying to think for a minute.

"Hummm… no…Dobby…"

Suddenly they were interrupted, by an agitated voice.

"Oy! What's this? How come Potter gets to eat in the common room? Didn't he try and kill someone today? How is that fair?" came the voice of Devin Smith, a fifth year Gryffindor. Harry and Ron turned to look at him with angry looks on there faces.

"Look Smith, Harry wasn't responsible for what happened at the pitch today. How can you make such an accusation?" Ron shot. Smith gave a chuckle.

"Because Katie Bell told someone about it right in front of me… of course I heard about it all day today from a lot of people, but Katie was an eye witness. So it looks like if you almost kill someone… the school gives you dinner in the common room. Very interesting.

Ron shot up out of his chair, his face red with anger, and Smith stepped back a few steps.

"Dam it Smith, don't you read the papers? Harry must have been under the control of You-Know-Who." Ron said, and at the mention of the most evil wizard in history, the room went quite, and all eyes turned on Harry, Ron, and Smith.

"Look, it's simply like this, today Potter attacked a fellow student. Now I think that if You-Know-Who were here than the head master would have known about it, and warned us. But then again I hear that Potter may have the head master under the imperious curse." Smith added, and the room started to boo him, and pelt him with paper for the statement. Ron smiled.

"It looks like no one here shares your assessment of the situation Smith. Everyone knows what a hero Harry is for what he did at the ministry last year, and soon we'll get to the bottom of all this, and find You-Know-Who, and prove that what happened to Harry today wasn't his fault. And as far as the food goes, well until we get our proof, Harry will just have to stay away from the Hufflepuffs until they cool down. Smith gave an angry look at Ron.

"Well there has been some alternate thought as to what exactly did go on at the ministry last year, and how much of what you and Harry said was true." Smith said with increasing hostility. To this the students pelted him with more paper, and several shouts for Smith to leave the common room were heard. Semis Finnigan walked up to him.

"Now look here Smith. I doubted Harry's story last year as well, but… well I was wrong about him then, and you're wrong about him now. Harry's word is enough proof to me, but if you want proof of his deeds, just read the daily profit." Semis defended. Smith gave a sarcastic smile. Well, last year he was a villain in that paper, and this year a hero… but the year is just begun. I wonder what the paper will say about Potter in a month." Smith finished with a cold smile across his face. Harry suddenly appeared from behind Semis, and got into Smith's face.

"And just what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean Smith?" Harry asked. Smith put up his hands in defense, and smiled wide.

"Oh, nothing. Just that the papers seem to be confused in your role as hero or villain, and you might end up as the latter if you keep attacking fellow students." Smith said cautiously.

"I didn't attack anyone. At least not of my own free will. But I'm going to make sure that is doesn't happen again." Harry said confidently. Smith's smile now turned to a frown.

"Well, see that you do quickly… or else no student in this school will be safe from _The Harry Potter."_ Smith said, and walked back to his bedroom, being jeered and pelted with paper from fellow Gryffindors as he did.


	26. Chapter 26

Chaos666: Thanks very much for the review. I'm glad that you liked it, and that I'm keeping you interested. Marietta is very devious. She would make You-Know-Who proud, I think. If she wasn't so smart she would be in Slytheren. But she is so smart, and uses her intelligence for evil **_intentions. _**

Froggie2: Thanks for being here as well. Yea, Cho has always been there for Harry from day one. If in OOTP she got his back before anyone else, but those closest to him. If he didn't leave her no where else to go she would have stayed with him, but we all know even in the official book that Cho cheers for Harry. Just because something doesn't work out with someone doesn't mean that you don't back them when they are fighting for the right cause. Cho is someone who is loyal in this fic, and in cannon. I wrote the letter in such a way just for that reason. Cho has been having so much pain in her life lately that she can only usually think the worst when it comes to herself.

EnlightenedKing: Thanks for such high praise. Please post when you can. Cho will of coarse eventually find out, but I'm not sure when. This story has gotten away from me…It's only still the first week of school! I'll try to write as long as I can.

**Sigh **Okay… where was I? Um, well this chapter sounds a little dirty, but I've tried to be as discreet as possible. More of Hermione not speaking to Ron, and well… other stuff. A surprise awaits next chapter at Hagrid's hut, and I'll see everyone then.

Thanks again to all of you for reading, I'll try to finish this off as soon as possible,

Highice007

Chapter 26: Screams from the Gryffindor Tower.

Harry started up the stairs to his dorm room followed closely by Ron. Suddenly he came to an abrupt stop, and turned around. "Bugger! I forgot to get my wand out of Filches office. I'll be right back Ron." Harry said as he started to pass by Ron on his way back down stairs. Ron grabbed Harry's arm.

"Wait a minute Harry. I've been meaning to ask you about that since we left Professor McGonagall's office. You _did _say you left it there, but you used it in the game to knock Miggins off her broom, when you got close to her. Katie Bell saw You, but she didn't want to say anything because she didn't think that anyone else did see that that's how you unseated Miggins, and… well we thought that if anyone found out that you had used a wand during a Quidditch game that you would never be allowed on the pitch again. I think from most peoples view you just hit her when you got to close, which is still bad, but not as bad as what it would be if anyone found that you used magic. But anyway what I'm really trying to ask is why did you tell Professor McGonagall that you had lost your wand in Filches office, when we went strait from the Quidditch Pitch to her office, and you had it on the pitch?" Ron asked quizzically. Harry shook his head.

"What are you talking about Ron? I haven't had my wand since I left Filches office, for punishment for running in the halls." Harry replied. Ron raised an eyebrow.

"When were you running in the hall? And you did have your wand at the pitch. Err… Harry check your robe pockets for a minute." Ron said carefully. Harry looked at Ron as if he was joking, but started rummaging through his pockets anyway.

"Come on Ron, I told you I left it….in…Filches…office." Harry slowly spoke the last few words as he with a look of genuine shock on his face lifted a wand out from under his robe. Ron and Harry looked at the wand in awe, as if it was something that they had never seen before. Ron turned back to Harry.

"You really believed it didn't you? You really believed that that wand was in Filches office?" Ron said sincerely. Harry nodded his head. "Again Harry. Do you ever remember Filch stopping you for running in the halls?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head. "Well neither do I. But I do remember Pansy Perkins coming in with that note from Filch. Did she go into his office with you?" Ron persisted. Harry closed his eyes trying to remember.

"I don't remember. I don't… think so." Harry said.

"Well, maybe we can ask Pansy Parkinson what Filch told her, but I don't think she'll be to willing to help us, being in Slytheren and all." Ron finished. Harry put his wand back in his robe, and started heading up stairs, but once more turned to face Ron.

"We'll have to get this all sorted out tomorrow Ron. Don't for get we have to be at the room of requirement at five thirty." Harry said. Ron nodded, and Harry heard a familiar voice from the top of the stairs call his name. As Harry looked back up towards the direction of the voice, he was blinded by a bright flash, and heard a loud pop. Harry closed his eyes but could still see the shape of the flash bulb in his mind. **"Collin!" **Harry shouted, his eyes still closed.

"Sorry Harry, but I'm trying to use up the last film in this set, I really didn't want to use any of the pictures that I took of you today at the Quidditch pitch because I didn't want them to incriminate you. But I have like seventeen frames left, and I just didn't want to waste them." Collin Creevey said apologetically.

"You took pictures of me at the pitch today?" Harry asked. Collin nodded.

"Yea, but I gave up after a while, you were spending too much time attacking the Hufflepuffs, and encouraging others to as well." Collin said. Harry opened his eyes, and started back toward his dorm room.

"And what do you believe about what happened today Collin?" Harry asked. Collin smiled.

"Well I believe you of course. That you were under the control of You-Know-Who." Collin said. Harry put a hand on Collin's shoulder.

"Thanks Collin, but next time you take my picture… make sure I'm ready, okay?" Harry asked. Collin smiled.

"Sure thing, Harry. Do you want to finish up the role now?" he asked eagerly. Harry shook his head telling him that it was late, and that it would have to be another time.

Harry arrived in the great hall greeted, as usual by several students, who asked him about what went on at the ministry of magic last year. It seemed that people could never get enough information on it. But today Harry was getting other questions as well, questions about what happened at the Quidditch pitch yesterday. One student asked if Harry really pulled a knife on Cindy Miggins, another asked if it was true that Harry tried to turn her into a troll. How stupid, he thought. Why do untrue rumors spread so fast at Hogwarts? And why are some of them so farfetched.

Shouts of passion and a slamming of wood against stone again emanated from the Gryffindor tower, and they could be heard in every dorm room. It was keeping everyone awake. Harry, Ron, and Neville stood over Semis Finnegan's bed embarrassed with dropped jaws, listing to his cries of ecstasy. Semis was thrashing about moaning, and screaming with great pleasure, and the head rest of his bed was slamming against the wall.

"**Yes! Yes! Oh god your sooo hot! Come on baby! Do it to me! Oh… Marietta! I'm cuming! I… ahhhhh!"** Semis shouted in his enviable dream. Neville shook his head, and looked at Ron.

"Well someone has to wake him up again, or none of us will get any sleep." He said. Harry turned his head away.

"Gross! He's bloody mental! How can he just dream like that all night?" Harry complained, and looked up to see a few more Gryffindors gathered at the door. Among them was Vince Garfield, a seventh year Prefect.

"Look, not that I don't envy Mr. Finnigan his dreams, but I have to get some sleep, and some of the girls can here him clear in their rooms. You three have to keep him quite, or no one is going to get any sleep!" said Garfield sleepily. Ron sighed and shook Semis violently awake.

"**Wake up! You horny Irish git! Get up now!"** Ron screamed. Semis opened his eyes with a start and sat up in bed.

"What! What's going on?" He asked surprised. Harry gave him an angry look.

"The same bloody thing that's been going on the last three times that we woke you up! You're fanaticizing about that girl again. You have to stop! We all need some sleep and everyone in the castle can here you. Are you mental or something?" Harry said annoyed. Semis now had an upset look on his face.

"Look I… can't help my dreams. I've never dreamed like this in my life. It's the most vivid dream that I've ever had. It's awesome." Semis said nervously. Ron gave a great sigh.

"Yea… well, good for you. We can all see that you're enjoying yourself, but try not to do it anymore or everyone's going to throw you out the window." Ron finished. By now a large collection of guys was gathered at the door much to everyone's embarrassment, and Collin Creevey entered the room in excitement.

"Hey guys one of the female students has a spell to cure him, of the noise he's making! She wants to come in and put a spell on him… just for tonight. Is it okay if she comes in real quick?" He asked. Semis blushed.

"Ab… absolutely not! Look I won't dream anymore tonight. Lets not bring a girl into this." Semis said nervously.

"Sorry Finnigan, but you're even keeping the girls awake." Harry said. He looked around at the walls of the room. "Funny… you'd think that these would be sound proof… being stone and all. Oh well, send her in Collin." Harry said with a shrug. Collin rand down stairs for a minute, and came back up into the room quickly. A Gryffindor girl then parted her way through the crowd and into the dorm room. Ron gasped.

"Her…Hermione!" Ron shouted in surprise. Hermione looked at him for a second with an unreadable expression on her face, and then turned to Semis. She put a hand on his shoulder, and smiled.

"Now listen Finnigan, there is nothing to be nervous about. I'm just going to hit you with a light, easily removed jinx to make your voice inaudible, for tonight, and in the morning, I'll remove the jinx. That way you can dream away without bothering anyone, okay?" she said softly. Semis nodded, and Hermione applied the jinx with a flick of her wand, and a quick blue flash. After a few seconds of silence Collin spoke.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"Only one way to find out." said Ron. "Oy Semis don't forget to leave a note to the house elves to change your soiled sheets." Ron jested. Semis looked at Ron angrily, and his mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Ron smiled.

"Yea, it worked. Harry, help me push his bed from against the wall." Harry did so, and after they had moved the bedpost a few millimeters away from the wall, Ron turned to Semis with a smile. "Well Finnegan, you're all set! Now you can have all the sweet dreams you want. By the way who were you dreaming about? Marietta who?" Ron inquired. Semis mouthed something in silence, but still no sound emanated from him.

"Leave him alone Ron, let him be in peace." Hermione said coldly. She then looked at Semis. "Okay, just meet me down in the common room tomorrow around eleven, as I plan to sleep late, and I'll remove the jinx, and you'll be as good as new." She said. Everyone clapped, and started heading to their respective rooms. When it was just the four roommates, and Hermione, Ron spoke.

"Well done Hermione!" Ron said as he clapped in approval. "How did you know about that jinx?" he asked. Hermione put her nose in the air and told Harry to inform Ron that unless he was willing to a committed relationship that she had nothing to say to him. Ron gave a great sigh.

"Oh come on Hermione, surly you're not starting this again. Look tomorrow's Saturday. I bet we could find a romantic place by the lake. What do you say?" Ron stated with a sly tone to his voice. Hermione started to smile.

"So you're really ready to make a commitment Ron?" she asked with a smile. Ron's face turned to a frown.

"Well… uh… no, but I thought that we could go out on a date tomorrow, and… you know do some Snogging, wouldn't that be romantic?" Ron asked happily. Hermione was livid.

"**Damit Ronald Wesley! What the hell is wrong with you! I'm through trying to win you over! You want to date other people? Okay then. But you can forget about ever dating me ever. I'd rather kiss a Crumple Horned Snorack!"** Hermione finished. Ron slammed down his hand on his mattress in anger.

"**Fucking hell, what's you problem! **I just asked you out, and you're still mental over me not wanting to commit. I told you my reasons, now you need to respect them and stop being so stupid. Just go out with me tomorrow, we'll have fun, without worrying about being committed." Ron said agitated. Hermione clenched her fist.

"**Look Ron, I…"** but she was interrupted by Vince Garfield leaning his head in the room and clearing his throat.

"Excuse me Miss Granger… I'm very grateful that you took care of Semeis's Problem and all, but I think that you need to go back to the girl's dorm, as now _you two_ are keeping me awake." He said casually. Hermione embarrassed started to leave. Ron looked on very sad that they couldn't go out with Hermione tomorrow. He crawled into bed and shut his eyes knowing that he would have another chance to patch things up at the Room of Requirement and Hagrid's house. Harry also looked on sad that his friends were fighting, and realizing that he would have to take Occlumey lessons again with Snape, as he was still to angry at Dumbledore to want to talk to him yet. Harry really hated the idea of going to Snape on his own after last year, but was hoping that Snape would agree, as it was to stop Voldermort from controlling him. Still there was nothing else good about being in the same room with Sevres Snape, and if he didn't agree than Harry would have to go to Dumbledore for help.

Harry made his way to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Ron, Dean Thomas and Semis Finnigan, who were already eating their eggs, bacon, and toast. Harry looked at Semis. "Can you talk Semis?" he asked. Semis gave a nod.

"Yea, me throat feels a little dry, but otherwise good as new." Semis said. Harry then started talking to Ron in a whisper about going to Hagrid's hut, and how tomorrow they needed to get the pitch reserved for some practice, as Harry wasn't sure if it would be his last for a while.

"Damit Ron, if any nonsense this year gets in the way of playing Quidditch, I'm going to go mental. I had to put up with too much last year, and it's not going to happen again." Harry complained. Ron gave him a pat on the back, and reassured him that Dumbledore would get to the bottom of everything. Harry wasn't comforted at the Head Master being brought up, he still was angry at him not being at Sirius's funeral. After a while of chatting Harry overheard Semis mention a familiar name that gave him his undivided attention.

"Semis, what did you just say?" Harry asked. Semis turned to him, and spoke.

"Oh, I was just asking Dean what he thought about Marietta Edgencombe." Semis said casually. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Dean answered first.

"She's cute. I'd give her one." Dean said. Harry's face tightened up as if he had just drank a goblet of pure lemon juice.

"Cute? She's absolutely deplorable!" Harry said with anger. Wow he thought, was he really that upset about what happened to his DA classes? Or was it just that Marietta was sneaking around the castle all the time. Or was it… that she had broken Cho and himself up. No… that, that couldn't be it he thought… could it? Dean looked over at the Ravenclaw table at Marietta Edgencombe, who was talking to some other Ravenclaw girls, and a Slytheren prefect. He looked Marietta over casually, and turned back to Harry.

"No Potter, your mistaken, she actually is pretty cute. Has a bit of a posh attitude, but really cute." Dean said.

"Thomas she got my DA classes busted up last year. She's an evil traitor to this school." Harry said. Dean gave a jovial smile.

"Ha, look Potter I thought you meant physically beautiful, which she is. Now if you mean personality wise… well I don't know her well enough for that. She's just… really cute. I mean I've seen better, but she's not really bad at all. Besides I don't think turning in your DA classes makes her so bad. No offence Potter, but last year everyone thought you were a bit of a criminal. The papers were saying so, so maybe she was under the same impression. I have to admit that even I wasn't sure about you for the most part. I joined the DA to rebel against Umbridge, but I was never really sure myself. Then after everything with the ministry came out in the papers… that's when I knew. So I understand, even though I almost got in trouble for it." Dean finished. Harry looked at Dean disappointed.

"I can't believe that you didn't support me from the beginning Dean." Harry said.

"Sorry Potter… but look at it from My point of view, you had the papers against you, the Ministry, and most of the school. I mean almost no one other than Ron and Hermione got you back from the beginning." He said casually. Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw table for Cho, but didn't see her.

"Yea, well I know some others who were there from the beginning." Harry said thinking of Cho. Semis stood up with a determined look in his eyes.

"Well… I'm going to go talk to her. I mean that was last year, and… I've been thinking about Marietta since last ni… err I mean, I've been thinking about her a lot lately." Semis said. Harry's face became bitter again.

"How could you do that Finnegan, you can't trust her. Is _she_ the Marietta that you were screaming about last night?" Harry asked. Semis was suddenly embarrassed.

"Hey! Shut up about that Potter. Don't discuss that." He said annoyed, and walked off to the Ravenclaw table. Harry, Ron and Dean watched as he chatted up Marietta. She was smiling, and seemed to be quite taken with Semis. She got up, smiled to her friends and walked out of the great Hall arm and arm with him. Dean slammed his fork down on the table, and smiled.

"Damn! How does he always pick up girls like that? Luck of the Irish I suppose. Well good for him." Dean finished. Harry and Ron got up to leave.

"It's not just the DA classes… there is something I just don't like about her." Harry said. Ron nodded in agreement.

"Yea, your right… but so is Dean. She is really cute." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Come on were going to Hagrid's. Let's get Hermione." Harry said to Ron.

A few moments later the trio was walking down the path to Hagrid's hut, and the tension was very thick. Hermione was still not speaking to Ron, and Harry would have to act as a go between, when she said things like "Tell Ron I'm not interested in what he's talking about. But Harry did finally get Hermione to agree to a truce when they reached Hagrid's. "One thing I don't understand Hermione, how did you know to put that jinx on Semis? I mean we never studied that one in Defense Against Dark Arts." Harry said. Hermione smiled.

"Oh that. I studied that one on my own during my second year. One of my roommates has a terrible snoring problem, and it was a good fix… Ahhhhhh!" Hermione suddenly screamed and Harry and Ron looked to where she was staring. The door to Hagrid's hut had a blood trail leading up to it. Harry and Ron could see splotches of the stuff trailing into the forest. The three rushed the door and banged loudly, screaming for Hagrid.

"**Alright! Alright! Just a minute!"** came the agitated voice from the inside of the hut. After a few seconds Hagrid appeared with a bandaged arm. Splotches of blood were also visible on the bandage. He looked down at Harry and his mates in surprise.

"Oh! You're here early. I wasn't expecting you till tea time. Err… come in please." Hagrid said casually, as if it were normal for Harry to see him with a bandage on his arm.

"Hagrid… What happened? Was it the Snorack?" Hermione enquired. Hagrid gave a difficult smile.

"Oh nooo. It twernt Frosty. He's a gentle sort. I wish I could say it was nothing but… well come on in and I'll explain." Hagrid said worried.


	27. Chapter 27

EnlightenedKing: Thanks about the perspective switching comment, but I thought that was sort of a weakness, in that it was my original plan to review it only from Harry and Cho's point of view, and I just wasn't talented enough to find a way to keep Cho spying on Marietta. Yes, Harry is pretty evened out, he is susceptible to Marietta's memory charms and the more often she uses them, the better she gets at it because of experience. Oh Semis's problems are just beginning in chapter 25, but I was also glad to put that Marietta was "Physically beautiful" without being drop dead gorgeous. Thanks again for the review, and I hope I can finish this story soon.

Tiyuri: Wow! You have a full dance card don't you? Dance group, rock band, and a job! What type of music does your band play? Please send the link to my myspace:

http/profile. the last chapter being funny, I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I was worried that people would think that I was trying to be obscene. 

Okayyyyyy, well another chapter, and still in the first week of there school:( Somebody shoot me in the head. I have no talent. Anyway here we finally get to see what Hagrid and Dumbledore have been up to all summer, and why Dumbledore hasn't been at Hogwarts all summer. God! You know this story has a lot more sexual seduction in it than I thought I would have to write. I'm making all the girls look like teases. Well that not intentional, but I had to find a way to get Harry and Semis in these traps, and seduction by a cute girl with the expectation of sex would probably trick me every time. Actually I'm sure a lot of people would be susceptible to that. Anyway just reflecting… uh, hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 27: _Les Bastille_ **

The two students sat in the empty dungeon classroom snogging heavily. Marietta Edgencombe ran her hand across Semis's shirted chest, as he rubbed her leg with his hand. They had been at it for several minutes, when Marietta slowly pulled away from him, and stood up from the bench on which they both sat. Marietta put her hand in his and lightly pulled him up as well. "You know Semis; we could get caught by a teacher here. I know a room more private. A room that no one else knows about. Why don't we leave, and go there?" she said with a flirtatious smile. Semis gave her a broad smile back.

"It's the teacher's day off. They have better things to do than get after students. Besides… were just snogging. They couldn't do anything to bad to us other than a lecture." He said running his hands through her reddish hair. Marietta bent down to kiss him again, sticking her tong down his throat, and massaging his mouth with it. She soon withdrew it, and put her lips close to his ear.

"You know in this room that I know about we can _do more_ than just snogging." She whispered while putting her hand on his crotch. Semis became aroused and also stood up, with some difficulty.

"And um where would this room be now?" He asked keeping his voice casual as he spoke. Marietta giggled.

"It's a _surprise._ Just follow me. I promise you, you'll be impressed." She said in a sexual tone, her hand still in his.

"Well then. Lead on, my dear." He smiled gingerly.

Marietta picked up her back pack, and led Semis through several corridors, down two flights of stairs and around many corners until she finally came to a stop at a dark corner of the castle. She put her back pack down and began to rummage through it. Semis looked at her confused. "Err… where are we going Marietta? Why are we stopping here?" he asked suspicious. Marietta looked up at him with a smile.

"Semis… can I trust you with a secrete?" she asked. Semis straitened up and crossed his arms.

"Of coarse you can… what secrete?" He asked. Marietta produced an invisibility cloak from her back pack, and showed it to him.

"This secrete!" she said with an aire of posh. Semis's eyes went wide as he gazed in wonder at the excessively rare cloak. He held it in his hands for a few minutes and tried it on, except for his head. He looked down at his missing body and laughed.

"Bloody amazing! Where did you get it? Have you got another one?" he asked excited. Marietta whispered into his ear lovingly that she had several more surprises in store for him, but that he must trust her, and do what she says from here until they reached the room that they sought, and that he could ask questions there. Semis agreed, and Marietta instructed him to let them both under the cloak and follow her closely so that they would both be under the cloak at all times. The two passed through many more passageways, and empty rooms until they came to the empty room lit by a single torch. Marietta instructed Semis to remove the cloak and hand it to her. After he did, and she had secured it back into her back pack, she walked over to the part of the wall with the round rock with the black teardrop on it, and depression on the floor. She physically pushed in the rock, and a rubbing sound was heard. Semis stepped back surprised as the wall melted away in front of him. He looked back up at Marietta with wide eyes.

"Um… Marietta. Where are you taking me?" he asked a little apprehensive. Marietta moved to him and kissed him on the neck.

"Don't be afraid Semis, your really going to find this interesting. Just trust me." She whispered. Semis was still aroused, and although he was feeling uneasy about something, his prospect of getting laid overpowered won out and he followed Marietta over the wall filled depression in the floor. Marietta pushed the stone, which was still suspended in midair, in the opposite direction, and the wall reformed behind them. "Luminous!" she shouted, as her wand lit the narrow corridor. She grabbed Semis's hand and led him down the long stretch finally stopping at the black rock wall. She pushed open the wall slightly, and put her wand just inside waving it around for a few seconds. Finally Marietta pushed open the wall fully to reveal a brightly lit bedroom/bathroom combo room full of caned foods, and water bottles, and candles. In the center was a bed that Marietta sat on and beckoned Semis to come to do the same. He sat next to her very confused.

"Alright Marietta… what's this all about? How did you know about this place?" Semis started, a little agitated. Marietta stood up, kicked off her shoes and started removing her skirt.

"I'll tell you. But first I want to have some fun. Come on… can't it wait just a little. Why don't' you undress?" She said in a sexy tone as she loosened her tie. Semis decided that the explanation could wait for now and began to remove his clothes. "Wait… I'll remove them for you." She said playfully. As she undressed him she would kiss him lovingly on his neck. After she had removed all of his clothes she picked them up along with his wand, and moved them to the corner of the room by the closet. She turned to Semis, smiling, with wearing just her knickers, and holding her wand in her hand.

"Now Semis, let me tell you a little bit about this room. It has enough food and water in here for about six months. Also there are enough toiletries for about the same period of time. Dental floss, tooth paste, toilet paper ext. The bath room has hot water, and an air duck leading to the grounds above, too small for a person to fit in can provide a person for good oxygen. The room is heavily sound proofed, and ghost pr…" she started, but was interrupted by Semis.

"Look Marietta, I know that I asked about the room, and believe me I do want to know about it, but … well like you said… it can wait. Let's… you know." Semis said very aroused at seeing Marietta so scantly clad. Marietta put her head down for a moment and when she brought it back up had a mischievous grin on her face.

"Oh Semis, honey. You can't have me today, but I promise your going to have the most wonderful dreams about me for the rest of the year**. You can come out now love!" **She shouted and the closet door opened. Semis's jaw dropped.

"What?" he said in confusion, as Marietta pointed her wand at him.

Suddenly Semis became white with fright as he saw himself walk out of the closet wearing only briefs. Marietta's look turned sinister now and a tinge of fear ran up Semis's spine.

"His clothes are at your feet, his wand too. Put them on right away." She said with a tone of authority. She looked at Semis with a slight smile. "Now as I said. You have enough supplies to last for six months. There is some cleaner in the bath room to keep the place nice, and remember to brush your teeth. I was kind enough to leave a book under your pillow to entertain you. I suggest that you read slow… I'm sorry to have to do this to a pureblood, but you being here is of great importance to society. You're actually helping the wizarding world by being here." Marietta said as she looked back to see the other Semis Finnigan buckling his belt, and putting Semis's wand into his pocket.

"Marietta what… what are you talking about? Who is he, and why does he look like me, and why are you pointing a wand at me?" Semis let out in a nervous state of confusion. He started to approach her before she answered, but she raised her wand to eye level.

"**Stop! Don't make me hurt you Semis. I don't want you damaged, but if you take one step closer I'll let you have it.** "She shouted in a highly hostile tone. Semis was really afraid now, and froze in place, watching his mirror image pick up Marietta's clothes and back pack, and leave the room behind her, telling her to hurry up. Marietta backed slowly out of the room, to the other side of the door. Semis started toward her.

"Marietta…please don't leave me here!" he pleaded. She smiled at him as the wall began to close between them.

"Goodbye Mr. Finnegan… remember to keep clean. Remember to keep in shape." She said casually as the wall shut between them. Semis ran to the wall and pulled with all his might, trying to move it to no avail.

"Marietta… **Marietta! Why are you doing this to me! Merritta!" **Semis shouted continuing in vein to try and pull the wall open.

On the other side of the wall Marietta was putting her clothes back on after putting several locking spells on the door to make sure that Semis didn't get out. "Now come along and have lunch with me in the great hall love." She said after putting one more locking spell on the door. Her love looked at her confused.

"Hardly seems a necessary effort Marietta… I mean seeing that I have his wand, all you needed was one spell." He said casually.

"Humph! You can never be too careful my love. I've been planning the downfall of Potter and his kind for several months now, and I'm not about to let anything stop us. Every precaution must be taken. Semis Finnegan must never leave that room _alive. _

Harry and his mates listened intently to Hagrid as he finished his tale of what he had been up to over the summer holiday. At one point soon after school let out he had returned to Eastern Europe to find Grawp a wife, and also to try and convince more giants to join Dumbledore's side in the war. But when he had returned he had only found one giant alive amongst a few gigantic rotting corpses. The giant, who happened to speak broken English, had told Hagrid that Voldermort had convinced the giants that if they sided with him, after the war was over he would allow them to run free over any area of Europe they wished, so long as they agreed to never cross the channel to the United Kingdom. He had also procured for them several bars of gold, and other items such as miles of material for making clothes, and several items to counter the spells of wizards. He also had reminded them of the harsh treatment that the wizarding world had visited on them as well. All this combined convinced most to join the cause of the dark lord. Some who had elected either to side against Voldermort, or stay neutral had been killed, by the rest of the giants at the orders of the new "Giant King" Rasala. It was soon after the giant had finished telling this story to Hagrid that he passed on. Hagrid had spent several weeks looking for them to no avail. They just seemed to disappear.

Hagrid had returned from Europe to check on Grawp, and make sure that he was okay and be sure that he was adapting to his new environment, only to find that the centaurs were abusing him again in an attempt to get him to leave the forest. Hagrid had never exactly made friends of any of the centaurs before, except Firenze, but before Firenze had been banished Hagrid had always been able to consider them acquaintances. But now their leader, Magorian, had given orders to kill Hagrid if he entered "their forest" again. "Well anyway I been entering the forest at night regardless of tha edict, ta make sure that Grawps okay, and I've been good at avoiding them… but, well I guess I just let my guard down last night. One of em got me with an arrow. Madam Pomfrey patched me up a bit, but I had ta go before she was finished, because I couldn't listen to her lecture me anymore about going out there. Coarse I couldn't tell her about Grawp." Hagrid said intently. He gave a great sigh. "Well anyway its very dangerous for me ta go into the Forbidden forest now because I also winged one of the centaurs in the arm with my crossbow, as well." Hagrid finished. He put his head down in despair. "Damit kids… the forest doesn't belong to them. It doesn't belong to anyone. Dumbledore tried to convince them ta join him in his fight against You-Know-Who, but it only seemed to anger them more. And they said ta stay out of "their forest!" I'm tired of it all." Hagrid finished as he sipped his tea.

Harry looked at Hagrid with concern and pity. He had clearly had a bad summer, just as Harry did, and now the Centaurs were even keeping him from the forest, and attacking his brother. But Harry was also keen to ask something else of Hagrid. "Hagrid… what has Dumbledore been up to all this summer?" Harry asked. Hagrid looked up at him weakly.

"He's been away from Hogwarts all summer Harry. There have been a lot of unexplained deaths, some murders. He was investigating them, and looking for You-Know-Who, and what was left of his lot. He interviewed several Death Eaters at Azkaban, and went to the jail in the Ministry of Magic to interrogate Luscious Malfoy. But I don't think that he got any information out of him. He still claims that he was under the imperious curse. Also he had to meet with many of the vampire royalty in the UK and Europe to find out their intentions in the coming war… ya knows… with us, against us, or neutral. I guess he was concerned that some of em were working for You-Know-Who after that poor Hufflepuff girl died in Dover. But that has kept em very busy." Hagrid leaned toward the three students with a very serious look on his face. "There's a _war _coming friends, and we need to know who are allies are!" Hagrid finished. His words seemed to darken the room, and all three students had chills down their spines. Ron was the first to speak up, with a gulp.

"Hag… Hagrid… do you know anything about the ghost proof room in Filches office?" Ron asked. Hagrid thought for a second.

"Well told me that it was ta keep people from his private business, and that it was also to keep peeves from destroying it. I asked if he could tell me the spell that his brother used, and he told me to mind my own business. Funny thing though… even Dumbledore didn't know that Filch had a brother." Hagrid said curiously. He gave a light chuckle. "Well I guess ya can never know someone ya don't try to get real close to after all these years. Never liked Filch to much, always wanting ta go back to the days where ya can torcher children. So I never went in his business really." Harry looked at his bewitched watch. It read five oh five. He looked up at Hagrid.

"Hagrid… we have to go for now. Do you want us to sneak out tonight and check on Grawp?" Harry asked.

"What!" Ron and Hermione shot in unison. Harry looked at them, casually.

"Don't worry, we can use the invisibility cloak, and they never hurt fouls… err children do they." Harry said.

"No Harry… ya can't go in there anymore. The centaurs have become unpredictable, and even though Magorian has been able to keep them in line… well a few of them have the potential to be as evil as a Death Eater. I mean they keep to themselves for the most part, that's there way… but well I get the feeling some of them have the idea that things should be different. There seems to be a territorial issue growing amongst them, that whole, "Our Forest" thing. One particular member amongst the lot named Bain has had a few disagreements with the chief about me." Hagrid said in a secretive tone. Hermione raised an eyebrow.  
"Hagrid… how could you possibly know all this?" Hermione asked with sincerity. A guilty look came across his face.

"Well… ta be quite honest, one of the thins that I was doing in the forest was spying on the centaurs. Ta see what they were up to. I usually stay out of sight, but I got a little to close this time, and well… they must have caught wind of me. Anyway. Don't any of you go into the forest for any reason. I'll take care of my brother. I would like ta see ya all next week for tea if it pleases ya." The three students nodded, and after a few parting pleasantries were walking towards the castle. Harry suddenly remembered something and called Hermione over to speak with her alone for a second. Not a problem, as she still even now was barley speaking to Ron, and the tension between the two of them was thick. Harry looked at her in a very serious manor.

"Hermione you have to apologize to Luna. You know that don't you?" Harry said. Hermione nodded.

"Yes I know Harry… I didn't mean to be so well… I just, I will apologize. But don't expect me to be too friendly toward her. She is trying to take Ron away from me. I didn't mean to say that to her, but I don't want to get to close to her, understand?" Hermione said worried. Harry nodded.

"Look just be civil, and courteous, okay? I need you two to get along, and competition or not, she's a nice girl, and she's not doing anything wrong. Ron's not looking for a commitment with her either." Harry finished. Hermione nodded her agreement, and the three continued on there way to the castle past students swimming, and lounging by the lake in there swimsuits. As they passed they saw Professor McGonagall chastising a few girls for the small size of there swim suits, and saying that she was going to recommend a new dress code for swimwear next year to the head master. In a short time they would be at the room of requirement, and Harry would get to see Cho again. But why was he so excited about it. They were just friends, that's what he wanted… wasn't it?"

( Oh bye the way, Marietta was bluffing about zapping Semis with anything to harsh as she was leaving the room, she would have only been able to use a lite stun spell on him at that particular instance.)


	28. Chapter 28

EnlightenedKing: Thanks again for the complements. You were right, Harry is going to ask Fiona, and Hermione, is going to end up going with someone else to Hogsmead. I haven't decided who yet. But about Marietta only being able to stun Semis, well it wasn't for the reason that you thought. It's for another reason that I don't want to revile yet. I just wanted to put it in as a note, so that in a further chapter someone doesn't go "Hey You established that she was going to do that." Anyway I know it seems a little complicated, but I can't tell you why she couldn't do it just yet.

Chang Kuei: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter. Thanks for adding me to your myspace. I don't get a lot of people adding me. Hope you enjoy this one. Keep me updated on the band.:)

Quillian: Thank you very much for posting. I certainly do hope that Marietta gets what she deserves as well, but she's really smart, so you never can tell what will happen. But you can expect more evil from her soon.

Hello everyone, back again, with another chapter. Um… well Here everyone is taking their collective intelligence, and putting the pieces together. Not a lot of action here, but some attraction, and I'll let you decide how good it is. Enjoy, and thanks for the reviews.

Sincerely,

Highice007

http/profile. **28: Sharing Intelligence**

When Harry and his mates entered the room of requirement Cho and Luna were already there waiting for them. They were sitting at a long table, Cho looking sad as usual, and Luna was happily reading an issue of the Quibbler. They both looked up as the Gryffindors entered the room. "Hello Ron! Harry… Hermione." Luna said with a joyful tone that turned to one of uncertainty at the end. Hermione sensed this, and walked cautiously over to Luna, with an upset expression on her face. She put her head down for a moment and then raised it.

"Luna, um… I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to yell at you, and call you a liar, and you were right about the Snorack anyway. So… I'm sorry about it, really." Hermione said with guarded sincerity. Luna smiled, and hugged Hermione, to Hermione's surprise.

"That's Okay Hermione! I knew that you were just having a bad day, or something. We all have them and sometimes say things we don't mean. I forgive you and I'm glad that were still friends." Luna said happily. She then went to Ron and put her hand in his. Hermione looked at Luna hiding the anger, and pain in her heart. "Friends?" she thought. Hermione turned to look at Cho and they stared at each other for a moment, each with unreadable faces. Finally Cho lowered her eyes and nodded to Hermione as an indication that the apology had been enough. But Cho still had a sad expression in her eyes that never seemed to go away. Everyone exchanged pleasantry greetings.

Harry gave a great sigh as he took a seat at the table opposite Cho, and Hermione and Ron followed suit with Luna sitting across from Ron and giving him a flirtatious smile. Hermione seeing this became angry at Ron for smiling back and moved closer to Harry to get away from Ron. Cho noticed Hermione's actions to get close to Harry and felt her heart break all over again. Cho blinked back a tear, as Harry cleared his throat.

"Err… well it's good to see you and Luna here Cho. I wanted to thank you both for coming. Well were all here to find out what Marietta Edgencombe is up to. Cho, Luna, Sir Nicholas, and the Gray Lady have been noticing some really suspicious things about her lately. Um well anyway I thought if we all worked together and sort of threw in everything we knew about the situation, we could find out what she's up too." Harry said awkwardly. "Um… I guess I'll start. Well Hermione and Ron told me that Marietta is now Head Girl. We all know that by now, but were not sure how. Apparently she was chosen by the Head Master by recommendation of the Masters." Harry said. Cho looked up at Harry and raised her hand. Harry smiled at her, thinking it cute. "You don't need to raise your hand Cho. This isn't the DA, and I'm not above anyone here. Were all a team trying to work together to solve a mystery. So please feel free to speak you mind without asking permission." Harry said jovially. Cho blushed embarrassed.

"Well um… Jill Tanaka was our seventh year prefect last year, but… she couldn't return to school, and let the staff know before the summer break. They had to find a replacement… and… Marietta, she… had very high marks. She always had the highest marks. So they made her a prefect. Also she helped Umbridge out a lot last year." Cho said**. "But Harry, all of you… I didn't know that she was helping her! You have to believe me! I'm really sorry. I thought that I could trust her. But she was working for Umbridge when I was not around her. Please forgive me Harry. I swear that I didn't know!" **Cho pleaded, with tears streaming down her face, at her inability to see through her own former best friend. Harry who had been so mad at Cho on the train reached over and gave her a hug.

"Shhh… It's okay Cho. No one blames you. I know that you didn't mean to get the DA busted up. We all know it. That's why your face wasn't marked by the jinx. You're among friends here." Harry said comfortingly. Everyone told her that they were like minded with his assessment. Cho thanked them, and continued.

"Well… well anyway, Marietta, every year since I've known her has been really good at school. I mean she studied a lot like me, but she didn't have to. Well she also was on a lot of committees too. So _that_ with her marks, and Umbridge sending her recommendations for the prefect and head girl position, she was able to get Head Girl." Cho finished, sitting back down. Harry reflected on the information for a minute. He found himself staring at Cho and wanting to kiss her, to hold her. Why was he feeling this way about her? The crush was over. Harry fought to suppress the emotion from his mind. Concentrate on the business at hand Harry he told himself.

"How did you know about Umbridge giving her the recommendation Cho?" Harry asked curious. Cho opened her mouth to speak, but Luna beat her to the answer.

"She told us Harry. She came in our carriage to yell at Cho for sending her a howler, a week before, and… well Cho noticed the Head Girl badge on her, and confronted her about it. She had come in with Danielle Forester, and some Slytheren prefect, and pulled wands on us, and after our friend Beverly snuck up behind her, and disarmed them, she spilled her guts, warning her to watch out." Luna said, as the collective jaws of the Gryffindors dropped.

"Marietta pulled wands on you?" Ron asked concerned, and a little angry. Cho and Luna nodded.

"Why did you send her a howler Cho?" Harry asked surprised.

"Well… she, she was talking about You, and My Muggle born and half blood friends, and she… she was talking about how she was going to hurt Miss Granger… . And she um, wanted me to stop speaking to any non pureblood friends I had. She mentioned something about how things were changing in the Wizarding world for the better, and I shouldn't associate with Muggleborn people anymore. But I've come to find that Marietta and I have very different ideas about what _changes for the better mean."_ Cho finished and was quite. Hermione was very touched by Cho's statement.

"Thank you Cho. I'm really grateful that you're not a hater like her. It was very good of you to stand up for us Muggleborn." Hermione said with a smile. "I think that were going to be good friends." Hermione finished. Cho gave a plastic smile. "Friends?" she thought to herself. Probably not. She really didn't want to get close to Harry's girlfriend. The pain was too much even now. She would settle on acquaintance, but could never be Hermione's friend.

"I'm proud of you too Cho. I know that you would never side with the likes of Marietta. Especially after what happened to… well I know that you can be trusted." Harry said cautiously. Harry didn't say Cedric's name, but Cho knew that He was referring to the death of her dead boyfriend, and the hurt that she had felt last year and at the end of the year came back, though a little more subtle. She was moving on from Cedric's death, but it still hurt, and did you ever really get over someone who you cared about so deeply dieing? Especially dieing in such a tragic way. Cho buried her feelings deep; she had to concentrate right now. She had to help Harry. He needed her to focus.

"Now I'll let everyone in on something as well. I talked to Nearly Headless Nick during the feast, and he had some interesting things to say about things that went on here over the summer. It seems that Marietta came to visit Filch, the caretaker of this castle, over the summer, along with his twin brother. They spent their time here ghost and poltergeist proofing his office. Sir Nicolas also told me that it always appeared that Marietta was the one giving orders, which is confusing, because she's only a student at this school, and not on the staff… obviously. None of the ghost know what they were doing in there, but it was very dubious, whatever it was. We still don't know what the connection between Marietta and Filch is but…" Harry stopped, as he was interrupted by Cho.

"Filch is Marietta's Uncle." She said softly. The Gryffindors let out a collective gasp.

"He's Marietta's what!" Harry asked not believing his ears. Cho kept her face expressionless, as she looked up at Harry and spoke.

"Well Luna, and I… we… we overheard her on night talking to Filch, and he was calling her niece, and she was calling him uncle. But… well Luna and I, we got the feeling that they didn't like each other very much, and he was mad about her being in charge of something. Also he said that he was upset because he could never let Miss Norris out of the office, and Marietta mentioned something about having food, and water supplies for a few months, ready for a room that she was using, but even Filch didn't know what it was for, and through their conversation Marietta made it very clear that she was in charge. I can only guess that the room might be the second ghost proof room that Marietta and Danielle were talking about the other day. But she's been sneaking off sometimes to go see someone on some nights." Cho finished. Harry scratched his head.

"Where do Marietta and Danielle chat about this and, what time does she leave at night to go see… whoever she sees?" Harry asked.

"She leaves past curfew on some nights. She and Danielle talk in the Ravenclaw common room when no one else was around. Luna and I were hiding under a common room table the first time we herd them." Cho stated.

"Well than, I suppose that we should start with the paintings in the Ravenclaw common room, ask them if they heard anything you didn't." Harry started.

"Oh! Harry that won't be possible, as Marietta freezes the paintings every night before she leaves, to keep them from noticing, but I can't remember how the spell goes. We also didn't see the manner in which she flicked the wand." Luna burst out. The Gryffindors eyes went wide.

"What… what do you mean she freezes them?" Hermione asked confused. Luna turned to her.

"Well, Marietta cast some type of spell on them, and then they just… well freeze. They have no movement at all. Like pictures from the Muggle world. When she gets back she unfreezes them, and it's as if they don't remember anything at all." Luna informed everyone.

"Fascinating!" said Harry. "Well we will have to have someone sneak into the library at night to look for a book that will produce such a charm. It's likely to be in a restricted area, that we can't get permission for." Harry said. Luna shot out of her chair with a smile.

"Oh Cho and I can do that Harry, we've already snuck into the library once trying to follow Marietta after curfew…" Luna started but was cut off.

"**Luna!" **Cho shot nervously, and began to blush red with embarrassment. She didn't want Harry to know that they had snuck out at night to spy on Marietta. Even though she had broken the rules to go to Harry's DA classes last year that was a noble cause that would allow her to support Harry. But Harry probably wouldn't think well of her breaking the rules for something so minor. But then, wasn't he talking about sneaking into the library now? Oh! This is so confusing, she thought. How am I supposed to act to get him to like me? Cho thought. Luna looked at Cho and smiled.

"Harry, Cho thinks that you wouldn't approve of us sneaking out and doing stuff like this. Tell her how you feel about it." Luna said proudly. Harry grinned.

"I absolutely approve of it. I mean it's for a good cause, and well it's become a hobby of mine since my first year here. Besides no one likes someone who's a complete goodie two shoes. Sneaking out at night is okay with me Cho." Harry smiled at her.

"Oh." Was Cho's only response. She wasn't sure what else to say. It looked now like she wasn't adventurous enough for Harry. She would have to find a way to fix that.

"Well about the second ghost proof room. Where is it?" Ron put in, changing the conversation. Cho lowered her eyes.

"We… we don't know. I think that it could be in the dungeon, but I'm not sure. I… Oh! Harry I just remembered! Marietta said that she had given you a memory charm. But I don't know when. She was talking about how she might give the ghost a memory charm, like she had given you one. What if… I mean I heard that you attacked some Slytherins on the train. Maybe that's what happened. Maybe she did that to you." Cho said upset. Harry lowered his head.

"No Cho… that was all me. Draco Malfoy and I have been bitter enemies since our first year, and I've had a lot of problems over the last few years, that just sort of blew up on the train. It was stupid, but I'm not going to let it happen again. I don't remember ever meeting Marietta since we arrived, so maybe you misunderstood her." Harry finished.

"No Harry I heard her as well, and if you got zapped with a memory charm then you wouldn't know." Luna injected. Harry smiled and waved it off.

"Look I took alchemy classes last year, and if someone gave me memory charms, than I would know about it." Harry stated. Ron gave a frown.

"But Harry didn't you say that the classes with Snape failed last year?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head.

"Well Ron I'd know if some one gave me a simple memory charm. After all Marietta's just a simple school girl causing trouble locally. If I can defeat a You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters, I can easily defeat her., than I can easily tell if she's trying to cast a simple charm on me, besides how good can she be at it? She's still in school. Were just trying to find what she's up to with this whole bewitched room thing. I have to admit the strangest thing about all this is that she and Filch are related, and that she was telling him what to do. I would never have expected Filch to take orders from a student, no mater what. Um does anyone else have anything to contribute to our investigation?" Harry finished.

Cho reached into her book bag, and pulled out the class year book that she had taken from the library. She opened it up to a marked page. "Well Harry I came across this book the night Luna and I… well the night we snuck out of the tower to look for Marietta. It has her mum in it, and her mum was a part of this society, well a lot of societies, and club really, but one in particular. Well it had this symbol of a black teardrop, and it seemed to be the same symbol that a lot of people were carrying on their arm in the great hall the other day. I wasn't there, but Luna described it to me. Well anyway Marietta's mum was a part of it, and well I guess that Marietta is too. From what I can tell it's a racist organization, as several of the students were talking about purity, and how much better they were than Muggleborn people. Anyway like I said, I didn't see what happened that day because I've been spending most of my breakfast, lunch and dinner breaks in the library." Cho said. Harry nodded.

"Yea, we've run into a few of those society people. Especially that stupid Lori Sanchez. She was talking about how Purebloods were better than Muggleborn, and how Muggleborn aren't wanted here. Cho started leaking tears from her eyes upon hearing this. Harry noticed. "What's wrong Cho? Why are you crying?" Harry asked. Cho wiped a tear, and sniffed.

"It's just that Lori, and I… we used to be friends. She's changed… she never used to hang out with my Muggleborn friends, but I never thought that she would… I'm so blind to see what some of the people that I used to hang out with were really like. Harry… I'm so sorry." Cho quietly pleaded. Harry gave her a comforting glance.

"It's okay Cho really. I know that you're not like that. Look you can't help what other people do. But you chose us over them, and that's all that maters. Is there anything else in the book?" Harry asked. Cho nodded her head.

"Yes, but I don't think that it's to relevant. The society used to have their meetings in the Hogwarts Auxiliary building, but it burned down mysteriously. I found a newspaper clipping on it. I… I'm sorry Harry I just couldn't find anything else." Cho said disappointed in herself.

"Cho… really, it's okay. I'm sure that this will help. Look we just need to get Sir Nicholas, and the Gray Lady to start looking for the second bewitched room, but No other ghost. We need to keep access to what were doing very restricted. Before long we'll have answers to all of our questions." Harry finished.

The conversation went on for several hours, each member of the team putting in their information about what they knew about the situation, such as Filch complain that Miss Norris was always locked up in his office, when Harry very well remembered that the cat was always following him around. It was decided that Harry and Ron, would try to sneak into Filches office in the near future, and that Hermione, Luna, and Cho should keep researching at the library together. Also the next chance that Cho and Luna got they should follow Marietta to wherever it was she was going at night, the next opportunity they had. After a while the group started breaking up and leaving Cho was waiting for Harry, but it seemed that Hermione was waiting for him too. But Cho had something to ask him that couldn't wait any longer. She walked up to him.

"Harry may I please have a word with you in private? It's really important." Cho pleaded. Harry nodded his head, and turned to Hermione.

"Wait for me outside Hermione. I'll get with you in a minute, okay." Harry smiled. Hermione returned his smile, and stepped out reminding that she also had something important to talk with him about in private. After she had left Harry turned to Cho. She as always looked on the verge of tears, but Harry felt a warmness just looking at her. Something from her seemed to radiate warmth that Harry could never explain to himself. "What's wrong Cho?" Harry asked. Cho tried hard to get the words out, but with difficulty.

"Harry… Emit Walsh, and, and other people have been saying very bad things about you… they said. Well they said that you attacked several of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team in your practice game, and that you tried to kill the seeker. A lot of people are saying it. Even members of your own team. I know that they can't be right, but… I didn't know how to explain to them that they were mistaken. I don't know how to explain it. I need you to tell me what happened, and whatever it is, I'll believe you. I don't believe that you would ever hurt anyone like that, so please… tell me what happened on the pitch yesterday." Cho asked sincerely. Harry pulled her gently over to a bench and sat down with her. He looked into her eyes and saw a look a genuine sincerity gazing at him.

"Look Cho, I… There are things that I cannot tell you. Things that well… I may never be able to tell anyone. Are you sure that if I explain what little I can to you, you can believe me?" Harry asked in a very serious tone. Cho nodded as a tear fell from her eye. Harry gently grabbed her hand and brought it up to his head. He ran it over his scar. "You know what this is from Cho, everyone does. But what you may not know is that You-Know-Who also put some of him in me unintentionally when he was defeated. It's why I can speak parcaltoung, and why I was almost put in Slytheren I think. Anyway, You-Know-Who can get into my mind sometimes, and make me believe some things that are not real. I think also maybe he may be able to make me do things that I don't; want to do. Like what happened at the Quidditch game. I don't even remember anything. I've been feeling really weird for a long time now. It's not the imperious curse, I'm sure of that, but some how, I'm sure that he's trying to controlling me. Anyway I know that the staffs are going to help me prove my innocents, but for now I've got detention. I don't even know if I'll be able to play Quidditch again, but I'm going to really go crazy if I don't get to play it again this year. Anyway that's what I think happened to me. Do you believe me Cho?" Harry asked unsure. Cho started sobbing uncontrollably as she gave Harry a very tight hug that made him feel as if all the air was being squeezed out of his lungs.

"Harry I… I'm so sorry for you. I can't even imagine what you must be going through. I believe you, and I promise that you can always count on me to be there for you. I care about you a lot Harry… I promise you that I'll explain to everyone about what You-Know-Who is doing to you." Cho said through tears as her warm cheek pressed against his. Harry stroked Cho's beautiful raven black hair, and felt the wetness of her tears on his face.

"Well Cho… I don't think that you should tell anyone about that really. Not just now. If people know that he could do that to me… it will be just like last year, and everyone will think that I might go off on them. I don't ever want that again. I'm sure that the staff will come up with a potion or something that I can drink that will keep him from controlling me." Harry stated. "Until then I'll just have to wait for this ting to blow over, Okay?" Harry asked. Cho nodded reluctantly.

"Harry what do I tell people until then?" Cho asked still wanting to help. They had not yet pulled away from their embrace, and Harry could again feel the warmth of her body against him, and smell her vanilla scented shampoo. Her almond shaped brown eyes were hypnotic to him, and he wanted to kiss her at that moment.

"Cho. Just… don't worry about it. Things will… blow over in… a couple of weeks. Really. Cho looked deep into Harry's emerald green eyes, and smelt his breath. He must have eaten some chocolate frogs before he came to the meeting, because his breath smelled of chocolate. It was pleasing to Cho. Everything about Harry was pleasing to Cho. She always felt so warm being next to him, and so sincerely happy. Just being in his presents made her just for a short time forget all her problems. She loved him. Not because he was The Harry Potter, but because of some connection that she could never understand. She respected him because of his bravery, and Quidditch skills, and she felt sympathy because of all the pain that he had suffered through his life, but she could not understand why she loved him. But she knew now that she had to tell him, now that they were alone together, now that her heart was felling this way.

"Harry there is something I have to tell you… Harry I…" Cho started, but was interrupted.

"There you are. Harry hurry up! I have something that I need to talk to you about. It's important." Hermione stated. Harry pulled away from Cho and started to get up.

"Sorry Hermione, Cho and I were just having an important chat. He turned back to Cho. What was it you wanted to ask me Cho?" Harry asked with a smile. Cho looked over his shoulder at Hermione. She didn't want to start a fight or anything in front of anything. Cho lowered her head. Nothing. It can wait." She said softly. Harry nodded. He started off with Hermione, and left Cho sitting in the room of requirement. She had moved to the table and looked to be reading the year book. After Harry and Hermione had left, Cho simply sat there in a daze, not being able to cry. She had guessed that she was out of tears for now. She wished she could be stronger. She had noticed that Hermione Granger had brownish curly hair. Cho looked at her own Hair hating it. Black. She thought. How ordinary, how unattractive. Not a beautiful black like Harry's, but a boring black. Cho gathered her books and set off to the Ravenclaw tower. Her friend Stephanie Burt knew several hairstyle charms, and maybe she could make Cho's hair into a beautiful brown, and give her curls. Maybe then she could look beautiful to Harry, if she looked more like Hermione Granger.

"That's what was so important? You want me to get you back with Ron?" Harry asked Hermione agitated. "Look you can go out with Ron anytime that you please. You're the one who refuses to date him. He still cares about you Hermione." Harry said.

"Are you kidding Harry? Didn't you see how he was all over Luna at the meeting? He was being very… open about what he wanted and it wasn't me! Please Harry just talk to him for me." Hermione pleaded. Harry gave a sigh.

"Fine I'll let him know how you feel, but I'm telling you, you had better start looking for a date to Hogsmead this weekend yourself. I'm sure Ron isn't ready for a commitment. And I don't thank that they were all over each other at the meeting." Harry finished. Hermione gave him a dirty look.

"Well they left together didn't they? There probably snogging in some empty classroom right now. Please Harry. You have to convince him." Hermione pleaded. Harry put his head down in capitulation.

"Okay, okay, I promised that I would, and I will. I'm just saying don't expect anything from him. He still wants to date around." Harry finished. Hermione smiled.

"Thank you Harry. I really am grateful. Oh! Will you be taking Cho to Hogsmead Harry?" Hermione asked. The question caught Harry off guard.

"No… why do you ask?" He said.

"Well it's just that she really seems to like you is all. I think that she still has feelings for you." Hermione said.

"Well, were just friends, and I'm going to ask Fiona Shaw to Hogsmead. Anyway its dinner time lets head to the great hall. I'm famished." Harry said rubbing his stomach. But on the way he kept thinking about Cho, and about how she felt as they held each other. It was a good feeling, and he wished that Hermione had not interrupted them.


	29. Chapter 29

**_I DO NOT KNOW WHY ALL THE STUFF I SUBMIT NOW IS UNDERLINED!IT'S NOT INTENTIONAL:( _**

Quillian: Enough said, and greatly appreciated. Thank you for posting:)

Chaos666: Thanks again for posting, it was described in an earlier chapter, rather simple, and not frightening in his sleep state. He looks like a clear blob. I thought about going with some grotesque look, but this is a drama, romance, and I thought I've gotten off the path of that enough.

EnlightenedKing: Wow! What a kind review. Thanks, and I'm glad that I could bring the pages to life for you. I'll continue to write for as long as I can, but I would really like to end the story soon. But don't worry; with the way I'm going, it doesn't look like I'm going to anytime soon. If I all of a sudden stop, than you can just end it the way that you want in your mind. So long as Harry and Cho, eventually end up together. But I'll try to finish…

chinexican: Thanks sis, and thanks for finally posting. I'm going to make you a Slytheren;)

hitman12345: Wow, a rather scathing, and through review, but I'll try and address your concerns by points:)

1.I don't try to portray Harry as weak. Now stuck up, and arrogant? Well I got the arrogant right out of "Order of the Phoenix" look I know that he had problems that year, but he was going of on everyone, Ron, Hermione, and Cho. He seemed to be the most viscous when people tried to apologize to him. Example, Ron, and Hermione, at Grimald Place, and Cho in the Great Hall.

2. The stuck up thing, I'm doing, because, I'm having him give in some to the fame. But tell me that you wouldn't have wanted to zap Draco, after six years of his bitching!

3. I've never tried to make him into an idiot, but everyone sometimes does idiotic things. Myself more than most.

4. Don't underestimate Marietta, and don't think that she is working alone. She couldn't have gotten that invisibility cloak on her own, but she is smart. How smart? Well I took the idea from COS, when Voldermort was calculating, intelligent, and was able to kill a girl during his sixth year, and get away with it! The difference? Marietta isn't as smart as You-Know-Who, but she is close, and actually has more legitimacy as a _"Pure Blood!"_ Also I added in a bit of Hitler, sprinkled a little Bill Gates, with a dash of some BBC, and CNN program directors, and stirred lightly. I would have added a few chunks of George Bush, but that would have just made her dumb, and I was going for evil genius. But in the end, Marietta can outwit Potter much of the time, and I just made her quicker on the draw with wands, it could happen. Harry Potter is not god. Nor is he infallible.

I am sorry that you have not had a pleasant read so far, and I would like you to keep reading, but in my story Harry is not perfect, he is brave, and noble, but I, being a **_Ravenclaw_** prize intelligence as being equally important. I mean, Doctors who cure diseases, and people who invent things like the helicopter save lives as much as soldiers, cops, and firemen. So in conclusion it's the wit of Marietta vs. the courage of Harry. Fortunately he has a couple of witty girls backing him, Cho and Hermione. But really except for the Harry and Cho, hooking up part, even I'm not sure how this will go.

Okay everyone who's come back… um well this is the longest chapter ever, and I'm sorry, but there is a Quidditch match, and I wasn't sure how to describe it. I think I was shooting for not to much detail, and not to little. I think I missed the mark. Well as I said it's long. Harry sees the entire match play in his head, and he sees everything that everyone was telling him about. I tried really hard to not leave any plot holes, and to mention everything. There is a bit of stuff that seems like useless info, but I almost had the shape shifter leave the pitch with his wand, and Harry still has it with him when he left the pitch, so I didn't want anyone going "Aha! You said he still had the wand. I know I'm the only one who thinks of this though, and that's because I'm completely mental. Sooooo here's to the next chapter being monstrously shorter.

**MY MySpace:**

http/profile. 

**Hufflepuff: **

**Chaser-Emit Walsh (Also Team Captain)**

**Chaser-Kimberly Dowding**

**Chaser-Jason** **Cadwallader**

**Beater-Max Beck**

**Beater-Stacy Bromhead **

**Keeper-Reginald (Rex) Chard**

**Seeker-Cindy Miggins**

**Gryffindor: **

**1. Chaser-Ginny Weasley**

**2. Chaser-Katie Bell**

**3. Chaser-George Cornwallis**

**4. Beater-Abhay Singh**

**5. Beater-Alfie Bond **

**6. Keeper-Ron Weasley**

**7. Seeker-Harry Potter (Also Team Captain)**

**Guest Referee: Jeremy Stretton of Ravenclaw**

**Chapter 29: Aggressive Quidditch**

It was the same nightmare again. He was again being tortured by the crucio curse. Voldermort making him feel endless pain. Harry was tossing and turning in bed, covered in sweat. It was early into the nightmare that he had had so many times before. He knew that he was dreaming all this but he could never wake up until the end. There was still much more torture to go. Wake up! Harry told himself, to no avail. But something started to change this time. For a moment everything became blurry, and several lights flashed around Harry. When his vision began to comeback he was no longer in the dungeon, but someplace very familiar. Where? He involuntarily closed his eyes in the dream. At least he thought it was still a dream, but everything felt so fresh, and every sense he had was so clear. Harry searched around for something, a board on a tripod, and a quill. He felt for his wand to make sure that it was in his pocket. Every movement that he made, every action was not of his own free will. He felt like a helpless guest in his own body. What was going on? Harry was able to catch glimpse of items in the area. He was in the Gryffindor changing room, at the Quidditch pitch. Harry grabbed a quill and a large piece of parchment that he draped over the board mounted on the tripod. At the base of the board was a small ledge to put quill and ink bottle on. Harry began drawing up what looked like some odd Quidditch plays, but still had no control over his own actions. He tried to move his hands to his side, to see if he could control himself, but he had no control. Everything felt so real! Was he really at the pitch?

After Harry had been drawing for a while, he heard noises outside the room. The door opened, and Katie Bell and the rest of the Gryffindor team began to fill in the room. Ron came up to him right away.

"'arry? Why did you leave Filches class like that? You lost us points. And why are you already here? I thought you might have been ill or something. Your… your already in your Quidditch uniform, you must have come strait here from charms. What's going on?" Ron asked suspiciously. Harry gave him a hearty slap on the back and a mischievous smile.

"Relax Ron; it's just a few points. Besides, what does it mater, today were going to to cream Hufflepuff in a great Quidditch game." Harry said. Did he just say that? He thought. He was still not able to control any of his own words. "Everyone please take a seat. Now I know that you're all anxious to get ready, but this being my first year as team captain, I wanted to show you a few plays that were going to use to beat those pureblood slime in Slytheren this year. Now I…" He started, but was interrupted by Ginny waving her hand back and fourth. "Err… yes Ginny, is it?" He said concentrating on remembering her name. Wait! Why did he have to concentrate on _that?_ He had known Ginny forever. She was his best friend's sister.

"Hump! I should hope it is still Ginny. Look when you say pureblood slime, I think you forget that Ron, and Abhay and I are all purebloods as well. I know that you and Hermione have had a hard time with Malfoy and his lot calling you mudblood and all, but we're not all like that okay?" Ginny said offended. Harry unconsciously rolled his eyes.

"Come on Ginny, I wasn't talking about you and the team, I was only talking about most purebloods. The ones who will not move over for us Muggleborn to run things. Abhay shot up out of his seat with a look of disgust on his face.

"Excuse me. What the bloody hell are you talking about Potter? Most of us don't have a problem with Muggleborn people in our society. I for instance…" Abhay started, but Harry cut him off.

"**Fascinating story**… and you weave it so well. Look we can discus politics some other time, but I'm trying to run a Quidditch team here. So just put anything else you wanted to talk about away for another time. Right now I wanted to go over some game planes to beat Slytheren. Now I've taken the liberty of drawing up some good plays, and I want to go over them with you. Now look we all know that Slytheren has a habit of playing very aggressively, and taking cheep shots. Well this year were not going to stand for it. This year, were going to match them. I want you all to take as many cheap shots as you can get. Play very ruff as you like. Our new strategy is: Do_ whatever it takes to win!_ If you can knock someone off their broom without getting caught, than do it." Harry said with an air of excitement that was not his. No! No! He thought. Don't listen to me. I'm being controlled by Voldermort or something. But those words didn't come out. Only more of his plan to use Hufflepuff as practice for a math with Slytheren.

"Harry Have you lost your bleeding mind? Were not Slytheren. We don't want to play like that. We don't' want to cheat." Ron complained, to the agreement of the rest of the team. Harry could feel a frown coming over his face.

"Look I'm team captain. Were going to win the Quidditch Cup. How we do it doesn't have to concern you. I thought that you were all behind me. I thought that you all knew that I was "_The boy who lived_." Now Quidditch has always been an aggressive sport. My first year here I remember Katie getting knocked off her broom by a burly Slytheren. You don't have to cheat a lot. Just play rough and aggressive. Play like Slytherin does. I guarantee you that we will win the house cup if you all just trust me. Trust _The Boy Who Lived_. Harry finished, regretting every word that came out, but not being able to stop himself. Katie Bell walked up to Harry.

"Okay, Potter…we'll play aggressive. Your team captain, it's your call. But I don't like it. Do we even need to do that to Hufflepuff? They are the worst team at Hogwarts. I mean defeating them will be easy, even if we only give it half the effort. It's just a practice game after all." Katie finished. Harry put a hand on her shoulder.

"Look, uh… Bell. Were practicing for Slytheren. So pretend that it's Draco and his lot out there today. Just forget that it's Hufflepuff, and picture them all as Slytheren. I _mean_ it Bell. I don't want to see them scoring one point. Do you understand?" Harry asked. Harry felt sick. How could he be saying this? Was this a nightmare? It felt so real. Voldermort must be controlling him. Don't listen to me Katie he thought. Katie nodded. He could tell that the whole team felt uneasy about the plan. But several of the students were the ones who had asked for his autograph on the train, and in the halls. He knew that they had confidence in the decision he made, but it was _not _his decision. Everyone started to walk out to the pitch, but Ron pulled him back for a minute.

"Harry, what's wrong with you? Have you taken a blow to the head?" Ron asked. Harry turned to face his best friend.

"What's wrong with you Ron? Don't you want to win?" Harry asked against his will.

"I don't want to win like this." Ron countered. Harry smirked.

"Well than maybe you shouldn't be on the team. I'm trying to put together a winning team here. Don't forget that. Now just do your job." Harry finished irritated. Ron gave a sigh, and started out the door without another word.

The Gryffindor team approached the center of the field, where the Hufflepuffs, are already waiting, with looks of excitement. Emit Walsh walked up to Harry with a smile on his face, and extended his hand.

"Hello Potter, it's good to see you again! This is my team. We're all first time players, well except for me, and Cadwallader, that is." Walsh said happily. Harry took his hand and gave it a very tight squeeze as he shook it. Walsh was caught off guard, and laughed nervously. He seemed to thank that Harry was trying to be funny, so he squeezed back, but could not match his power. After a few seconds Walsh seemed to be in pain, and Harry could feel himself smiling, and Walsh winched in pain. Finally Walsh pulled his hand away quickly, and began rubbing it with his other hand. He tried to laugh it off. "Ha, pretty firm grip you got there Potter. Remember, to go easy on me, and my team, it's just a practice match, okay?" Walsh said with a smile. Harry smiled back.

"Sure thing Walsh… we'll go easy on you. But you know… sometimes accidents happen in this game, and people get hurt no mater what. Something to think about." Harry said. Walsh gave him a quizzical look, but then smiled again.

"Well, I'm sure that we'll be okay. Would you like to meet the members of my team?" Walsh asked happily.

"No." Harry said casually. "We came here to play a game, let's play. We can socialize after, right?" Harry said. Harry wanted to cry in his mind, as he sensed something terrible was going to happen, but couldn't do anything to stop himself. Walsh looked a bit disappointed, but nodded his head.

"Okay, Potter, Your right, we'll all hand out later." Walsh said.

"Oh! Walsh, one thing. Are you a pureblood?" Harry asked suddenly. Walsh was surprised at the question.

"Well, yea. I told you I was in the Great Hall. Um… why do you ask?" Walsh said curious. Harry gave a mischievous grin.

"No reason. Just curious." Harry said. "Let's play."

The players got on their brooms, and got in a circle in the middle of the pitch. Harry recognized the referee as Jeremy Stretton, a seventh year Ravenclaw, who Walsh had picked as an independent party to judge the game. He nodded to the team Captains.

"Mr. Walsh. Mr. Potter, good to see you both. Okay we want a nice clean game, we all know the rules, and I wish you both good luck. Oh and Potter, thanks again for what you did at the Ministry last year. Were all real proud of you." Harry nodded, and noticed a flash of bright light out of the corner of his eye. He looked up at the area that the score keeper sat, and noticed two short blond haired kids sitting there, one had a camera. Harry looked at Ron, and pointed at the two.

"Who are they Ron?" Harry asked. Ron gave him a bewildered look.

"Harry do you need a new prescription for your glasses? There only your biggest fans. Colin and Dennis Creevey. They wanted to watch, so I made them score keepers. Harry searched his mind, trying to remember them. Why was he doing this, he knew who they were!

"Oh yes, I remember now. Look go over there, and have him put away the camera. I don't want any pictures taken here." Harry said.

"What are you talking about Harry? What happened to wanting pictures of your adoring fans?" Ron inquired.

"Huh… oh right. Well, that can wait until I'm ready, but for now. No pictures. Go tell him real quick Ron." Ron rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He said and sped away to the score booth. Jeremy Stretton looked at Harry confused as Ron flew by him.

"Err… ready Potter?" he said.

"Almost Harry replied. In a few minutes Ron was back.

"Well I told him, but he's really disappointed. Anyway he wants to know when he can take some pictures." Ron said casually.

"When I bloody feel like it." Harry said, agitated. Ron raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Stretton sat on his broom, in the middle of the pitch, Quaffel in hand.

"**Alright! Ready Hufflepuff?"** Stretton asked. Walsh nodded eagerly. Stretton turned to Harry. **"Ready Gryffindor?"** Stretton asked of Harry putting the whistle in his mouth. Harry grabbed his Fire-bolt tightly with both hands, and nodded his head. Stretton threw the Quaffel in the air with all his might, and blew on the whistle at the same time signaling game on.

At that instant a million things seemed to happen at once. Cindy Miggins the Hufflepuff Chaser shot up high, and away from the circle to go look for the snitch, as Rex Chard, and Ron Weasley moved away to their respective goals. Harry was also supposed to go and look for the snitch, instead kicked his firebolt at full power over the head of Jeremy Stretton to grab the Quaffel first. Using his superior speed he made it to with in a few yards of the goal, at which time he was flanked on both sides by two Hufflepuff chasers. Harry continued to fly strait for the Gryffindor goal and saw Chard in front of the goal to his left. Harry zoomed with in less than a yard of the third year, and with all the strength he had, and to his much regret, slammed the Quaffel at full force into his head. Rex was knocked off his broom to the sand patch below, and the Quaffel bounced back behind Harry and was instinctively caught by Jason Cadwallader, a Hufflepuff chaser, who froze in shock for a minute after seeing what Harry had done to his keeper. Harry wanted to call a time out, to see about Chard, but he was just a passenger in his own body, and without will or hesitation he zoomed strait at Cadwallader to grab the Quaffel away from him, and almost knocking him off his broom as well. Harry could feel a look of anger tighten on his face as he ripped the Quaffel out of the Hufflepuff Chasers hands, and shot over to the keeperless goal to slam the ball through the center loop, just before a time out was called over the intercom. Walsh had asked the referee for a time out to check on his keeper. Both teams gathered round.

Walsh lightly slapped Chard's cheeks to wake him up. He had a nasty burse on the left of his forehead. Chard slowly opened his eyes.

"What… what happened?" He asked dazed. Harry could feel a sinister grin come across his face.

"You okay Chard? Sorry about that… I thought that you were going to duck. I guess you didn't know I had the Quaffel. Didn't expect the seeker to come after you with it." Harry said sounding sincere. Harry screamed inside to tell everyone that he wasn't in control of his own actions, but to no avail. Chard looked up at Harry, still a little out of it.

"I… yea, I guess you caught me off guard." Chard said. I'm okay to play. I just need a second." Chard said, and sat back down. Walsh looked up at Harry.

"Potter… why did you go after the Quaffel? I mean, it's not the seekers job." He asked. Harry shrugged.

"No rule against it, and besides it got Gryffindor a quick ten points. People just don't expect the seeker to go after the Quaffel." Harry said lightly. Walsh let out a sigh.

"Alright… I suppose your right, but um… take it easy on us, it's just a practice match, were not playing for the cup… okay?" Walsh asked in a kind manner. Harry gave him a smile.

"Sure Walsh, no problem, just a practice game, but… try and keep up. We have some real opponents in a few weeks, and, well we want to be ready." Harry said a bit indignant. He slowly drifted his broom toward the center of the field to wait for Huffelpuff to get ready. As he did he passed by Cadwallader, who had an expression, of anger, and determination on his face. After several minutes and a first aid charm, Chard was back on his broom and everyone was gathered around the center of the pitch. Jeremy Stretton looked at each of the two team captains, who both clutched their brooms tightly. He looked worried, but after a moment of hesitation called out: **"Ready Huffelpuff?"** Walsh nodded his head with determination. Stretton turned to Harry**. "Ready Gryffindor?" **Harry gave a great smile, and nodded. Stretton threw the ball up high and gave the whistle a blow. Harry again shot up after the Quaffel and with the superior speed of his firebolt was able to grab the Quaffel again, but this time he zoomed over to Ginny, and shoved the Quaffel in her lap. Harry gave her a dirty look, pointed to the Gryffindor goal and told her in no uncertain terms to: **"Put that bloody ball in there! No mater what!" **Ginny, more than a little taken aback by the way Harry was acting, none the less nodded and headed off to the goal followed closely by a Huffelpuff chaser. Harry then shot up at a ninety degree angle to look for what he thought was the snitch. At about eight hundred feet, he circled the pitch and began to look around. He finally felt a rush of excitement, not his own, when he found the object he was searching for. But it wasn't the snitch, but the Huffelpuff seeker, Cindy Miggins. She was busy looking around the pitch for the snitch. Harry began to follow her, thinking that Voldermort must be board and using him to play Quidditch. But if the Dark lord could control him this easily, than why didn't he have him run his broom into the ground at two hundred miles per hour? What was Voldermort playing at? Harry continued to follow Miggins around, not seeming to care about looking for the snitch, but concentrating on her. He must be waiting for her to find it, and would then chase her to it, intending to use the speed of his firebolt when he saw her go after it. As he circled behind her, he heard the Creevey brothers energetically calling out the plays of the other players on the team. He turned to watch the members of his team play. After a few minutes, it was sixty-nil. Good, he thought. Now everyone's playing the way Harry Potter plays Quidditch. Waite! Did he just think that? Damn you Voldermort, I'll get you for this. Suddenly he saw Emit Walsh heading for the Huffelpuff goal. Cornwallis was in his, way and made an attempt to stop him, but missed. Ron kept flying from the left to the center goal, ready for the block. Walsh faked left, and cut right at the last minute to score a goal, making it sixty-ten. **"Damn it!" **Harry shouted. And zoomed down to Stretton to call a time out. He motioned all his team mates to one side of the pitch to _talk_ with them. Harry drifter to Cornwallis and looked at him with dagger eyes. "Well?" He said angrily. Cornwallis looked dumfounded.

"Well what?" He asked. Harry could feel his blood boil, but wasn't sure why.

"Well what the hell was that? Huffelpuff was not supposed to score this game. I saw Walsh breeze past you like you were standing still. You should have run right at him. You should have gotten that ball away from him, if you had to punch him. What's your excuse?" Cornwallis seemed a bit nervous, and looked around for support from his fellow Gryffindors for support. He noticed that they were all sitting on their broom slack jawed at Harry's attitude. **"Hey! Cornwallis!** I'm over here." Harry shouted, and Cornwallis immediately refocused his attention on Harry.

"Well… um… Ron missed the ball too." Cornwallis said quietly pointing to the Gryffindor keeper. Harry drifted up to Cornwallis to where there faces were centimeters apart.

"The ball should never have gotten that far. For every time Huffelpuff gets a score past you, you'll sit out for that many games. Do you understand?" Harry said through gritted teeth. Cornwallis nervously shook his head. Harry smiled. "Good. Now remember… play like a Slytheren." Harry said a little more relaxed.

"Potter I have something to tell you." Katie Bell said livid. Harry smiled.

"Okay Katie, but lets do it over there in private." Harry said pointing to a side area of the pitch. Katie looked to where he was pointing, and then back at him, still with a scowl on her face.

"I can say it in front of the team." She quipped.

"I'm sure you can, but I need to talk with you in private, now follow me. Harry said as he flew over too the private area. Katie followed. When they were alone, she spoke with controlled civility.

"I don't' think that Professor McGonagall would appreciate the way you're treating this team. I don't think that she would approve of you tactics at all." Katie said. Harry just gave another sinister smile.

"Really? Well… Bell, let me tell you something. Professor McGonagall made _me _team captain, and she likes having the Gryffindor cup in our common room. Now… I know what your problem is Bell… it's your last year on the team, and you're a little jealous that she didn't make you captain…" Harry said casually, and was cut off.

"Scoff! I am not jealous. I… I didn't want to be team captain." She said folding her arms and sticking her noise in the air.

"Good, than stop acting like it. I came back this year to win the house cup. Now you play like were playing Slytheren for the cup, and maybe we'll win it. Oh and just one more thing Bell. I think that you should remember that I am, The Boy Who Lived, and the person who saved everyone from You-Know-Who last year, so I think that you need to show me a little more respect. That is unless… you're not grateful…" Harry trailed off. Katie looked hurt.

"Look Harry, I am grateful, and I'm sorry I didn't support you totally from the beginning last year. And I think you from the bottom of my heart for last year, but…" Katie said sincerely, but was cut off.

"Good! Than show me your loyalty through your actions, and not your words. Now come on everyone's waiting." Harry said, and sped off to the waiting players before Katie could counter him.

Everyone again got ready, and Stretton again set the game on. Harry again swooped over to grab the Quaffel, with the superior speed of his Firebolt, and did a quick one eighty degree turn to head for Cornwallis. Harry slid to a halt in front of him and threw the ball rough into his arms. Harry narrowed his eyes. "You know what to do." He said in an authoritive tone. Cornwallis nodded his head and flew off toward the Gryffindor goal, as Harry flew up to a higher level to follow Cindy Miggins again. As he watched her, he could feel himself listening intently to the score, after about twenty six minutes of play, and three of his team mates receiving two yellow cards a piece, the score was one hundred and twenty to ten. Harry saw a bright flash out of the corner of his eye from the announcer's booth; it seemed that the Creevey brothers wanted to sneak one more shot with their camera. Suddenly Harry had to duck quickly as a bludger narrowly missed his head. For a short time Harry focused his attention on the rest of the group down below. The Gryffindor players were not giving Huffelpuff a chance, and Walsh's team was clearly exhausted. After losing six more goals in twenty minutes, where Huffelpuff almost never had possession of the ball, Walsh called his teams second time out of the game. As all the players lowered their brooms to about a meter off the ground, Walsh came flying over to Harry, with an angry look on his face.

"What the hell is this Potter? I thought that we agreed that we were going to have a nice friendly game? I thought that you were going to take it easy on us because it was only a practice game." Walsh said with a great deal of anger. Harry yawned.

"Walsh, we are going easy on you. We've only just warmed up. It's not our fault that you have the historically worst team in Hogwarts, or any wizarding school for that matter. But you need to understand one thing, and that's that _Quidditch is a ruff sport_, and if you don't think that you can handle a real game, than maybe you don't need to be playing. Now if you would like to forfeit the match…" Harry said in a manner that made him seem board. Walsh looked at him with what he could tell was growing resentment. Good! Harry thought, soon he'll hate me full force. Wait! Why is that good? Harry tried to again concentrate on regaining his body, but it was a lost cause.

Soon the game was back on, and he was listening to the score get higher, and higher, with no additional Huffelpuff scores. He was focusing on his team. Soon they were a person short, because George Cromwell had received a red card from Stretton, and was out of play, but even one player short, Gryffindor was more than a match for Huffelpuff.

Harry was concentrating so hard on the game below that he had totally forgotten about Cindy Miggins, and the snitch, until he heard Collin Creevey say that it looked like she was going after the snitch. Harry quickly turned his head up to see her climbing up at great heights, and speeds to catch some small gold flying object. Harry put his firebolt at full speed to catch up to her, following along in her slipstream. The two of them constantly banked, climbed, dived and turned in their attempt to catch the golden snitch, as it zoomed through the air. Although Harry was faster, Miggins was blocking his way. Harry pulled out from behind her, and picked up speed. Soon he was neck and neck with her, and in the next moment he was pulling ahead. Now he was moving well past her, he would catch the snitch. The Hufflepuff's comet two-sixty was just not fast enough, the snitch was just with in reach now, but then Harry did something that he did not expect. Harry turned to look at Miggins trailing him, and pulled his wand from his robe pocket. He slowed down to where she was only centimeters away from him, and he gave her a happy smile and a wink. She smiled back, and blushed. Harry then pointed his wand at her and yelled**. "Experimentalist!" **Harry shouted, and a short blast from his wand sent her flying from her broom and to the Quidditch pitch ground below. Without hesitation, or looking back, Harry put away his wand, and pushed hard to grab the snitch. After only seconds he had grabbed it, and Jeremy Stretton called game over.

Harry flew back toward the ground seeing several people from both teams looking over Cindy Miggins, who appeared to be unconscious. Instead of joining them he hovered until someone from the Huffelpuff team spotted him, and then flew to the scoring booth. He was right next to Collin, and Dennis. "Well, what's the score?" He said happily. Collin and Dennis looked worried.

"Harry… Cindy Miggins looks real bad, I think…" Collin started, but was cut off by Harry.

"I said, _what's… the score!" _Harry said agitated. Collin looked at him dumbfounded.

"It's Two hundred and seventy to ten." Collin said in a low whisper. Harry smiled, and looked at the people gathered around Cindy Miggins. Two of the Chasers for Huffelpuff were walking her back to the castle, using three brooms as an improvised stretcher. A few Gryffindors tried to help, but the Hufflepuffs threatened to start a fight if they came anywhere near her. Harry flew over to Jeremy Stretton, and asked if he got credit for the snitch. Jeremy was taken aback. "Well I didn't see what was happening exactly from my angle. I was flying low at the time, but Harry we need to see about Cindy Miggins, she's hurt real bad, and the Hufflepuffs seem to think that you did it _intentionally! _What happened up there?" Stretton asked concerned. Harry smiled.

"Look I gave her a little push to get her out of the way. You know how theses younger kids can't stay on their brooms, when it gets competitive. But it would have been the same result if a bludger had hit her, and then the Hufflepuffs would be blaming the bludger. Why would I really try to go after her like that? I mean I have a firebolt, and she has a useless comet two-sixty. She never had a chance, so what would be the point?" Harry said with an aire of elitism.

"**Hey!** Ya know Potter I have a comet two-sixty. They are not so bad, I…" Stretton started offended, but was cut off.

"Alright fine, the point is they were losing, and needed to find someone to blame for being the worst team at the school." Harry said. Stretton looked uneasy.

"I don't know Potter, they seemed really sincere." Stretton said. Harry acted offended.

"Stretton… it's me! The Boy Who Lived. Who saved everyone from You-Know-Who last year. Now do you think that I would lie to you?" Harry finished. Stretton thought about it for a second.

"No of coarse not. I wasn't saying that. I just couldn't tell what went on from my perspective." Stretton said almost apologetically. Harry nodded.

"Well could you tell that I got the snitch?" Harry asked. Stretton let out a sigh.

"Harry I think that there more…" He began, but was cut off.

"**Did you see it!" **Harry inquired almost angry. Stretton stepped back a few feet, a little frightened.

"Yea, I saw it… You caught it. Gryffindor won." Stretton said.

"Good! Harry said happily, and then glanced his teammates walking unhappily toward the Gryffindor changing room. He sped off on his broom at full speed ahead of them, in an instant. The last words he heard Stretton say was; "What about Cindy Miggins?" Harry didn't answer. He zoomed into the Gryffindor changing room, and threw down his broom. He locked the door, and took off his Quidditch uniform. Harry then ran over to a bench and pulled something that Harry couldn't see out from under it. He pulled at something cloth, and looked away at the same time. Whatever was in the cloth was only a gray blur to him, as he put on some kind of thin sheet. It was so thin that it reminded him of an invisibility cloak. Harry than moved to the wall of the changing room and cast a spell to make the wooded wall open up. He was still not able to control his actions. He than took his wand and put it in something that felt like a pocket. The wooden wall slowly began to close again, and he walked quickly through the opening, under the see through material, and nearly tripped over some wooden support beams. But he finally made it to the outside as he heard some knocking on the door that led to the pitch area. Finally the wall closed, and Harry felt himself _melt!_ into the ground.

Harry woke up in his usual sweat, and hopped out of bed. He ran over to Ron whispering loudly, for him to wake up, and shaking him violently.

"Ron! Ron! Wake up!" Harry pleaded. Ron opened his eyes, and began to grumble.

After they were both wide awake Harry recounted his dream to Ron, and how he remembered everything in the Gryffindor common room. Ron confirmed that it had indeed played out that way at the pitch for the Huffelpuff/Gryffindor game, and that the door to the changing room was locked. No one had mentioned it because it seemed so minor compared to everything else that happened. Finally Ron stated that he didn't have a clew about Harry melting outside, or him using his invisibility cloak, as they found Harry in the changing room, lying on the floor. Harry than had the idea that someone could have stolen it from his room. Both boys then headed to Harry's foot locker, Harry used his secret combination spell, and opened it to find it still safe and sound. Harry looked at Ron.

"Well do you suppose that someone else could have one?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head.

"Not likely, in addition to being very rare, when you do find one there very expensive. But if any student or teacher had another one, they would have to be from a rich, rich family. Now who do we know that would set you up, and who's family has lots of money?" Ron queried. The answer came to both boys at once, and they shouted to each other in unison: **_Draco Malfoy! _**


	30. Chapter 30

EnlightenedKing: Good call about Harry going to apologies, and it's really supposed to anger people who read this to see him acting this way. All part of Marietta's cunning plan. And yes, thanks for letting me know about the spelling correction of Expelliarmus. This chapter is a bit boring, but the next will have lots of drama, thinks very much for reading, and posting.:D

**Chapter 30: Marietta's Plan for Cho**

Cho was sitting on the edge of Stephanie Burt's bed, while Stephanie was trying to decide what spells to use on her hair.

Stephanie had a reputation for doing wonders with hairstyles, using magic. She planed on opening the largest franchise of beauty shops in the magic world once she graduated, and many girls in Hogwarts came to her for advice from time to time. Now Cho was before her with a request.

"So you want me to make your hair brown, with curls? How about I also give you some streaks that are so very _in_ now. I just gave Holly Hopkins a nice pink streak spell yesterday. Would you like a blue one? It would look really good on you!" Stephanie asked. Cho shook her head.

"No, no thank you. Nothing so fancy. I just need my hair brown, with curls. Um… about _this_ long." Cho said politely indicating the length of Hermione Granger's hair. Stephanie nodded. Well okay, I can do that. Hold still. Cho sat on the edge of Stephanie's bed, and Stephanie started a few magic spells to change Cho's hair to a light brown. After seeing it in the mirror Cho asked her friend to darken it a little, remembering Harry's girlfriend's hair was somewhat darker. After Stephanie had gotten Cho's hair to a color that Cho thought matched, she pulled out a muggle curling iron. Stephanie had bewitched it too work without the need for electricity. She had also brought several other things to the school that she was not able to bewitch because there was just too much magic at Hogwarts, that most of the time, even bewitching muggle items was impossible. But curling items were still in use in the magic world, because no one had quite found out how to cast a proper spell to make proper curls. Stephanie vowed that she would be the first, and become rich off it.

"Soooo… who is he?" Stephanie said with a mischievous smile, as she leaned down to whisper in Cho's ear.

"Who!" Cho said somewhat nervous. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on Cho, this is only the third time that you've come to me with a request to fix your hair. The first was when you went to the Yule ball with Diggory, and the second was when you were going to Hogsmead with Harry Potter. I know you fancy a guy, or else you wouldn't have me do this. Now, who is it?" Stephanie asked. Cho was hesitant to tell her. What was she doing here anyway, trying to look less like herself, so that Harry would like her? She just wanted Harry to like her, and to do that she would have to change everything about herself. As her friend Stephanie combed her hair, she looked in the mirror. She felt so different. She was the only ethnically Asian person in Ravenclaw, if you didn't count the ethnic Indian students. And even she didn't look like them. She didn't look like anyone that she knew. It was possible that Harry didn't like her in that special way because of that fact? Because she didn't look like anyone else? She was hoping with this new hairstyle that she could look a bit more normal, and more appealing to Harry. Cho didn't what to look too much like Miss Granger, or everyone would get what she was at instantly, she just wanted Harry to look at her the way that she thought he might have at certain times last year. But was that just a far off dream? It seemed a thousand years ago, since Harry had asked her out, since they had kissed. Or did she kiss him? Now that she reflected on it, it did seem that she was always the one to try and make that connection. She always sought out Harry, and she couldn't remember anytime that he had gone after her. Of coarse that must be it. Someone else had told her about the DA, she always waited to talk to Harry, and she was the one who kissed him, and didn't feel much feeling back from him. After the disastrous date, she was the one who tried to rebuild the connection. She was only ever going to be friends with Harry, and… she would have to accept it. But she cared about him, and she wanted to be more than that to him. She would just have to…

"**Cho!" **Stephanie's yell startled Cho out of her reflection.

"Huh! Oh… sorry Steph. What did you say?" Cho asked embarrassed. Stephanie gave her an agitated look.

"Lots! One thing I asked was who are you doing this for? And another is did you want to go with us tonight?" Stephanie said. Cho looked at her quizzically.

"Go where Steph?" Cho asked. Stephanie looked around, to make sure that they were alone.

"Well some of us Ravenclaws are going to a very secrete party tonight after curfew, to meet with some Slytheren boys and girls. It's going to be a very good party. And you need some cheering up." Stephanie said with another mischievous grin. Cho frowned.

"Thanks Steph, but I have to do a lot of work. I really don't have the time, because I'm so far behind. Maybe next time." Cho said. Steph gave a deep sigh. Look, I know that you had a tough time last year, but you need to unwind. Just let go for a night. Well you spend enough time in the library that you should be caught up soon. So we will be throwing other after hour's parties, and _you will_ be going to at least one! Got it?" Stephanie asked seriously. Cho nodded her agreement. "Good! I'm glad you agree. Now, you're not getting out of her until you tell me who you're doing this for. I mean it." Stephnie said. Cho looked at the determination in her friends eyes, and then around to make sure that no one else was around. Cho than whispered very softly.

"Alright, but you have to promise me that you will not breath a word about this to anyone, and after I tell you will not ask me anything else. Agreed?" Cho said in a serious tone.

"Oh come on I'll have like a million questions, you have to give me at least one. I promise that I won't tell a sole. Just one question… please…please…" Stephnie said excited to hear who the mystery man was. Cho nodded her capitulation.

"Okay, but just one, and then we don't ever talk about it again, alright?" Cho asked. Stephnie nodded her head, as she tried to think of the perfect question to ask. Cho leaned close to her, and said in a worried voice… "It's Harry Potter." Stephnie rolled her eyes, and threw herself on the back of the bed in a fit of laughter. Cho was surprised by her friend's behavior.

"What's so funny?" she asked. Stephnie sat up holding her sides, as they hurt from the pain of her laughter.

"Oh Cho, its Harry Potter for like every other girl in this school, well except for the Hufflepuffs. Now that he's not mental, and a hero. I would love to be with him myself. He's sooo in this year!" Stephnie said.

"That's not what you were saying about him last year." Cho said annoyed. Stephnie sat a more serious look on her face. Well last year he was a bit mental, I mean that's what the paper said, and the Ministry of Magic. So he was unpopular. But now he's **_The Boy Who Lived! Defeater of You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters! International Superstar!_**" Stephnie shouted, waving her hands about, for emphasis. Then she looked directly into Cho's eyes. "But look Cho… really it's just fantasy. It's like when I was chasing after Victor Krum when he was here, me and a bunch of other giggling girls. But it was all just fantasy. So although you are a very good person, and very popular in your own right, don't expect him to be… available for a relationship, I mean he's the most popular boy in school." Stephnie said in a comforting voice.

"I don't care about all those titles, I just… It doesn't really matter anyway I guess. He has a girlfriend anyway. So maybe it is all useless." Cho said sadly. Stephanie's eyes went wide!

"**He has a girlfriend! Who is she? Tell me Cho, or I'll just die, not knowing who it is." **Stephanie screamed excited. Cho held her finger to her mouth, and made a noise, to indicate Stephnie to be quite.

"It's Hermione Granger." Cho said, the name leaving a bad taste in her mouth. Stephanie's jaw dropped open.

"No flipping way! Wow is she going to hook up with every Triwizard champion? Next she'll be hooking up with that French girl" Stephnie joked. Cho sat up, turned around and thanked Stephnie sincerely for her help with her hair. She than started to leave. Stephnie protested that she didn't ask her question yet. Cho looked back at her and told Stephnie that she had ask who Harry's girlfriend was, and that that counted as her question. Cho than proceeded up the stairs to go to bed, hoping to have good dreams about Harry for a change.

**The next day: Harry's POV**

Harry stood outside the hospital room with his box of chocolate frogs, and waited for Madam Pomfrey to allow him in. Cindy Miggins had indeed suffered a serious head injury from being blasted off her broom, and the impact of hitting the ground, and now she was going to be moved to St. Mungoes for treatments for her head injury. The first aid spells by her team mates had saved her life, and Madam Pomfrey had also made a lot of progress towards Miggins healing, but the damage had already been done at impact, and now she would be out of school for the year. Harry was feeling very guilty, even though he had no control over his own body, he still felt responsible for her condition to a point. As he started in the door he met Emit Walsh on his way out. Emit had been by Miggins side for several days, and Harry had avoided visiting her for fear of running into Walsh, and having a fight break out. Walsh stopped dead in his tracks, and balled up his fist upon seeing Harry.

"What the bloody hell do you want Potter!" He said in an accusing tone. Harry put up his open hands in a jester of peace.

"Look Walsh, I don't want any trouble. I just wanted to say that I was sorry, really. I was being controlled by someone else. It wasn't me. Really. And I just wanted to come down here and say to Miggins, how sorry I was that everything happened as it did" Harry stated. Walsh didn't move from the door.

"Piss on your apologies Potter, you knew exactly what you were doing, and you can't fool me that you were under the imperious curse. You're just some arrogant prick that wants that trophy so bad because you didn't get to play last year. Well you may have gotten out of serious punishment, but if you ever come near me or any of my team again off the pitch, I'll lay you out flat. And when we do have our Quidditch cup match, I will be kicking your arse. Got it?" Walsh said, not backing down. Harry was growing frustrated.

"Look Walsh I told you that I only came to say that I was sorry to Cindy, whatever happened, I owe her an apology, now get out of my way so I can do just that." Harry said in an authorities tone. Walsh stared him down, but eventually moved out of the way. Harry walked up to the bed that Cindy Miggins was in, and put the Chocolate frogs on a stand beside it. Cindy's head was still bandaged, and she had a green glow around the bandages that pulsated. Harry looked at Walsh, and pointed to it. "What's that green glow Walsh?" Harry asked. Walsh folded his arms, and peered into Harry.

"That's a relieving charm, to relieve pressure on her head. That's what she landed on when she hit the ground." Walsh said through gritted teeth. Harry looked back, her eyes were open, but she did not speak. Miggins suddenly looked at Harry and a tear came to her eye. Harry felt empty inside. He held her hand, and spoke softly to her.

"Cindy… look, I just wanted you to know that that wasn't me doing that on the pitch the other day. I mean I was being controlled by someone else. I'm sorry that everything went down like it did, but I promises that I'll get the person for you. I'll make them pay for what they did. I think I know who it is, and I'm going to confront them. Really I would never want anything like this to happen." Harry pleaded. Cindy looked groggy, and only closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

"Okay Potter, you've apologized, now get out of here." Walsh said. Harry slowly walked out of the room. When he was in the doorway Walsh called back to him. "Oy Potter… I just thought that you would like to know that during one of her rare states of consciousness Miggins said that she never wanted to play Quidditch again. I just thought that you might like to think about that. Walsh closed the door hard behind Harry who felt about a few centimeters tall right now. He slowly made his way down to the great Hall for lunch, but he didn't really have much of an appetite. Going down the stairs, he met Collin Creevey, who jumped excitedly.

"Hiya Harry! Can I get some pictures of you now? I mean, are you ready?" Collin asked happily. Harry was about to say that he wasn't in the mood, when he suddenly remembered how he was treated all last year. Maybe he needed to start up some good press of his own. He would have to have Hermione talk with Rita Skeeter to set up an interview soon. Harry looked at Collin.

"Tell ya what Collin, I could use some good press these days, why don't you follow me to the great hall, and take a few snaps. I can autograph em for any student who wants them, and maybe win a few friends over." Harry said thinking that giving a few autographs would make him more popular. Harry had promised himself a good year, and if it meant being _The Boy Who Lived_ to do it he was ready, better to deal with the inconveniences of fame than the hell of unpopularity. Harry stated back down the stairs again with Collin in tow.

**Cho's: POV**

Cho sat in the library, working on her transfiguration class homework. Several other books were beside her as well, from each of the classes that she was so far behind in. In addition there were two other books on her table as well. The book that she had just finished reading: They were: **_The Oxford Cancer Institute: Advanced Brest Cancer Treatment Medical Files Volume 5_**, and the Hogwart's yearbook from Marietta's mum's year. Cho's stomach grumbled again from missing breakfast, and she promised herself that she could not miss dinner, or she would be in to much pain to study that night. Beyond the door to the library stood Semis Finnigan, and Marietta Edgencombe, in sinister discussion.

**Marietta's: POV**

"Alright Semis dear, just get the librarian to the back, of the room, and hit her with a memory and a knockout charm. I know you're not used to them, but just do like I taught you. Then stash the body under the invisibility cloak as before, and hide her, and your clothes. Remember to use the exact knockout charm that I thought you, because if you will have to go to the Headmasters office to be a witness against what Chang did, than you will need more time to go back and get your clothes back. Also if she should wake up too early it would be most… inconvenient for us to have two of her walking around the school at the same time. Anyway just don't even look at Chang when you walk in, go strait to the librarian and tell her that you lost something and you think that you lost it here. She'll take you back to her office; she has the lost and found in a big locker back there. Hummmm come to think of it. Not a bad place to hide a body and some clothes. Anyway get going, the others will be here any minute, and they only know there part of the plan. Semis nodded, and Marietta gave him a sensual, intimate kiss, before he opened the door, and then she stepped back out of the way to remain out of sight.

**Cho's: POV**

Cho looked up briefly, as the Gryffindor student entered the room, and walked over to the Liberian.

"Um. Excuse me Miss. . I misplaced my watch here the other day, and I was wondering if you could look in the lost and found locker for me?" He said in a thick Irish accent. Miss. thought for a minute, and rubbed her chin.

"Hummm… well I don't remember picking up any watches. Are you sure you last saw it here Mr.…. err…" The Liberian started.

"Finnigan and I'm sure that I left it here. Can you take a look?" He asked.

"Well I'm quite sure that I haven't found one." The Liberian insisted. The boy seemed a bit agitated at the librarian's reluctance to help him.

"Look… huh… it was a gift from me mam last year. It means a lot to me. Can you just look… please?" He said flowing between agitated and pleading.

"Okay Mr. Finnigan, this way, but I'm telling you that I don't think it will be in there." She said. The two of them walked to the back room and Cho continued her studies, now that the distraction was over.

**Marietta's POV**

The group of student's assembled before Marietta, skipping lunch to do so. They constituted most of the purebloods that were Marietta's inner circle. Amongst them were Danielle Forester, Oliver Skint, Pansy Parkinson, Lori Sanchez, and a sixth year Ravenclaw boy named Ian Lewis, among others. All the other students were eating in the great hall. Marietta looked her cohorts over and smiled. "Now… is everyone quite clear about their lines? I hope you have all practiced. Everyone ready? Most nodded, but Ian stepped out with a raised hand.

"Eh… ummm… look Marietta, I remember what I'm supposed to say, and how I'm to act, but what is the point to this. I mean, it doesn't seem to tie in with the order's business at all. It just seems we'll be harassing a pureblood girl." Ian said confused as to the goal of their plot. Marietta smiled a big toothy grin, and patted him on the back.

"My dear Ian, Cho has betrayed her pureblood roots, and has to be shown the error of her ways. This is a punishment, and when she accepts who she is, than we will gladly allow her into our ranks. Cho was my best friend, and I have no desire to do this, but it's called…. Tough love. If we humiliate her she will eventually see that to be accepted by the right people, will cause her suffering to cease. Besides, once she joins us, she will see that she stands many rewards to gain, than if she still hung out with those mud bloods. I just need to break her sprit, and that will not take long. Now anymore questions?" Marietta asked. Lori waited before she spoke as two Slytherins, Draco Malfoy, and Monica Manceria moved past them, late for lunch. They both stopped at the sight of the small crowd gathered round the library.

"Gore… is the library that popular? What's inside?" Asked Monica. Marietta wanted to tell them to piss off, and mind their own business, but she didn't want to insult two purebloods, especially since she was about to mentally try and crush the sprit of one of her own in just a few minutes. Marietta simply smiled at Draco, and Monica.

"Sorry private meeting. So it's not about anything in the library. But please excuse us." Marietta smiled even larger. Monica and Draco merely shrugged it off, and left to the great hall holding each other's hands. After they had passed out of sight, Lori approached Marietta, with a question.

"I understand what you mean about bringing her down, and punishing her, but, I'm not sure that I understand the insults. I mean… some of these things that were supposed to call her I've never even heard before. What's a chink?" Lori asked.

"It's a derogatory term for someone who's ethnically Chinese. Look… you don't have to know what it means, just act like you do. And don't all of us go in at once, or Cho will just move to another seat. Now quickly, anything else?" asked Marietta.

"Well… I have reservations about doing this. I mean Cho never agreed with our ideas, and always tried to Chang our minds about them… but she was always there for us, and, well she always treated us well. It just seems a poor way to repay her." said Devin Smith, the Gryffindor boy in the group.

"Don't worry Smith… when she stops acting like a child, we'll make it up to her. But really she's only bringing this on her self. Now let's do this, Danielle, you and I will be first." Marietta finished, as she slowly opened the door to the library.


	31. Chapter 31

Quillian: Hear, hear. But Marietta has not yet begun to cause trouble. Thanks for the review.:)

Chaos666: You're right, there is a way, and soon someone of wit and learning will come upon the clue. Marietta gets worse with every chapter, a natural leader, and very evil girl. Very grateful for the review.

Froggie2: Yes she is that a great review. I love to get readers pissed off at Marietta. Thanks:)

EnlightenedKing: I really appreciate the long reviews, it let's me know almost exactly how the story's hitting you. Well Harry's still going to be a bit of a jerk, but he's going to be driven to it. Don't really blame him, as much as Marietta Edgencombe. Thanks also for letting me know that I'm doing okay in my writing about Cho's self esteem problem. It was lightly hinted at in Order of the Phoenix but I wanted to bring it up a level. Fiona will go to Hogsmead with Harry, but Cho will not know that he is going with her. I can't tell you more about it just now. Thanks again for the words of encouragement.

asherbcool: Thanks for posting a review. Yes I was just about to have Harry show his stuff in Defense against Dark Arts class. I didn't want everyone to thank that I was making him a wuss, because Marietta was always getting the upper hand. But Marietta uses intelligence to achieve her goals, not physical skill. That said, she is faster in pulling out the wand. Thanks for the review. I look forward to your next one.

Hello again everyone. Well this chapter was very disturbing to write. It really made me sick to write all that stuff, especially since all the physical features that Cho possess are ones that I like the most. Example: Almond Shaped eyes, button nose, olive completed skin. I had to put myself in a racist mind, and it's nowhere I want to be **_yuck! _**Anyway… this is a really disturbing chapter, be warned.

**Chapter 31: Ambush!**

Cho was finally starting to feel a bit better. She was still hungry, but she had almost finished her transfiguration homework. Marietta and Danielle both walked into the library, and each casually grabbed a random book from the shelf, not even stopping to look at the title, and each sat by Cho, Marietta next to her on her left, and Danielle across from Marietta. Cho looked up surprised, but both seemed to be ignoring her. Odd was the fact that all the other tables were empty, so why were they sitting by her? She didn't want to talk to them, so decided that if she ignored them that they would leave her alone. Marietta smiled at Danielle. "Oh Danielle, I found out how chincks get their last names. Would you like to know how?" Marietta said innocently. Cho made a small gasping sound, but the two ignored her.

"Yes, I always did wonder how those slopes got such stupid names. How do they pick them Marietta?" Danielle asked in a sweet voice that was as far from her character as possible lately. Cho bit her tong, clenched her fist, and started putting her books in her backpack, still not saying a word.

"Well it's really simple, you see. They take a bunch of pents, and throw them on the top of a pot. Whatever sound it makes that's what they name them. You know… Ching…" Marietta's smile widened, and she slowly said each word for emphasis, to let them sink in. "…Chong…" Marietta turned slightly towards Cho, and said more harshly "…_Chang!_" Marietta slowly finished as both girls laughed sadistically. Cho lowered her head, and closed her eyes. She looked up at Marietta.

"Stop making fun of me. I didn't do anything to you two." Cho said half angry, and half hurt. Marietta's face suddenly turned one of mock surprise. She gave a gag sound.

"Hump! Excuse me, was I talking to you. Maybe you should mind your own business, and stop butting into other people's conversation. Were here to study. And you're sitting at _our_ table, and fouling it up. _Blood traitor!" _

"You can have it." Cho said, resisting the urge to smack Marietta and Danielle, and chose to finish putting up her books, and move to another table instead. Cho had settled to one further away. Taking out both a potions book and her book on Brest cancer, each with a book mark set to a specific point. She opened them and began to read, promising herself that she would smack the gruesome twosome if they bothered her again. Cho took out a piece of parchment, and a quill, and began to write down what she would need to mix some particular potions. She would have to go to the potions mistress to ask for permission to do experiments later. Suddenly she felt two people sat on either side of her. Cho's fist balled up ready to strike.

"I thought I fucking told you two to…" Cho stopped in mid sentence when she realized that it was her friend Ian Lewis, and a Gryffindor girl that Cho knew only in passing as Lori, something. "Oh, I'm sorry Ian, I thought you were…" Cho started but was cut off.

"You know Cho, we were wondering, Lori and I, why you never eat in the Great Hall with the other students anymore? I mean, is it because they don't serve _rice_ and _cat_ at every meal?" Ian said maliciously, with a hateful look on his face. Cho's jaw dropped, and she could hardly believe her ears.

"Ca… cat? Ian what are you talking about?" Cho asked not sure what he meant. Lori Sanchez rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on, everyone knows that's all you people from China, ever eat. _Rice and cats_. You probably use them in your restaurants, and sell them to us, as beef.

"I'm from Scotland, and I don't eat cat!" Cho shouted, and began to tear up. Suddenly Pansy Parkinson walked up to the table.

"Oh don't be too hard on the stupid gook; after all it's got to be a tough job for her to eat with us. I mean she's got to be at a loss without chopsticks, probably too embarrassed to let people see that she has to eat everything with her hands." Pansy said, as she watched Cho start to sob with a content smile on her face. Cho reached a shaky hand for her wand, and raised it, as another student parted the crowd now gathering around her.

"Now, now, what's going on here, what are all of you doing to this poor girl?" the Gryffindor student asked. He looked at Cho. "Are you okay?" He asked. Cho was still sobbing. She looked up at the boy that seemed concerned.

"They said… they said…" Cho choked out. The boy put a hand on her shoulder, which made her jump.  
"Now, now, I don't think that you want to go around blasting people with wands, do you?" He said in a soothing voice. "Now just let me take the wand, and I'll take care of every thing, I think you might hurt someone with that." He said calmly. Cho shook her head, holding on to her wand tight, with tears falling from her eyes. "Oh come on now, I promises that we can resolve this without wands, just hand it to me, and everyone else will put there wands away as well." He said. Cho looked around, and everyone else in the room defendant had their wands pointed at her. She looked up at the boy again, a little scared. He smiled at her, and held out his hand for the wand. "Trust me." He smiled. Cho put her wand in his hand, and he casually handed it to Marietta Edgencombe. Cho's knees buckled and she tried to speak, but couldn't for shock of what had just happened. The boy looked at her with pity. "God Marietta, you were so right this is the most useless **_naive_** blood traitor that I've ever seen. Now someone was saying that you were too good to eat with the other students. Well that would be true it the students were, mudbloods, and you didn't associate with them. But you're a mudblood loving git." The boy said. Marietta stepped forward. She began to speak in a girlish, sarcastic tone.

"Now, Now, dear Devin. Cho has a perfectly good reason for having to do her work here. After all… her marks last year were **_shit! _**But… I suppose that that's to be expected when when you have slits like that for eyes. I'm surprised that you don't need a Seeing Eye dog, and a white cane to get around this school." Marietta said with a devious smile. Then Devin put his forefingers to the back of his eyes, and began to push the skin back.

"Rook every one I Cho Chink, I do your randry, that all I good for, you rike me to cook you a nice juicy cat?" Devin said in a mock, bad Chinese accent that made everyone in the room, except Cho laugh. Cho remembered that the librarian and a Gryffindor boy were in the back. Didn't they hear this? She thought. Suddenly Marietta grabbed Cho by the collar, and pushed her against the wall.

"Listen bitch… we were friends once… so I'll forgive you. Here's what you're going to do. Your going to stop hanging out… with those stupid… mudblood… filth… and start hanging out… _exclusively_… with better people, **_like us._** Understand?" Marietta finished her voice full of hate. Cho could barley see Marietta through her tears, she was scared because everyone in the room, was against her, and everyone in the room was pointing wands at her, and she was hurt because they were calling her names, most of witch she had never heard before. Cho reached out with all she had for her next words, as she looked Marietta in the eyes, with determination. "Marietta… **_fuck you!_**" she said as she punched Marietta in the stomach, with all her power. The hit knocked the wind out of Marietta and she fell to the floor, but then the girls in the group took there turns at Cho with vicious jabs to the stomach. Cho was punched by the girls until she collapsed on the floor, and then was viciously kicked while she was down. They all angrily shouted two words at her over and over again. **_"Blood Traitor! Blood Traitor! Blood Traitor!" _**as she curled up with her hands over her head, to avoid getting kicked in the face.Finally after Marietta recovered, she shouted for everyone to stop! She then approached Cho's shaking crying body, raised her wand, and shouted a healing charm. The burses, and blood instantly went away, and Marietta pulled Cho to by the collar again to face her. "Don't ever do that again. Your wounds are now healed, but the experience is still in your memory. Were not going to hurt you again after today. Well… not physically anyway. Next time… ha… next time, it's going to be your mudblood friends. I mean it Cho. You side with us. Or they will suffer." Marietta said in an almost whispered tone. Although her burses healed almost instantly, Cho still felt the pain from the beating, and the hurt from the names that she was called, and the things that were said about her hurt even more. Cho tried to speak, but Marietta put a single finger to her lips. "Uh uh, no. Don't give us an answer just yet. Chew it over first. Think about those who will suffer. Hummm. Oh and One last thing. You shouldn't make trouble in the library anymore. I mean… look at all the witnesses I have that you start stuff here all the time. One in particular…" Marietta said, and turned towards the back of the library and shouted. **"Oh Miss…!" Could you come here for a second?"** Marietta shouted, and then turned to Cho with a knowing grin. To everyone's surprise the Libran walked out of her office and stopped beside Marietta.

"Marietta what are you doing? I thought you said that she wasn't here? Now were all in trouble." Lori Sanchez said nervous. Marietta simply smiled and looked at Cho.

"Oh Miss… could you please tell Miss Chink that she shouldn't harass hardworking students like us that are trying to bring our marks up. I mean… it's hard to concentrate in the library, with all her trouble making going on." Marietta said in a girlish voice. Cho looked up at the librarian not able to say a word. The librarian, Mrs.…, was always very kind to Cho, but now she bore down into Cho with dagger eyes.

"Miss Chang, I am sick and tired of you always causing trouble in this library. You are not permitted in this library again. And you should be ashamed of yourself, for always making trouble. Now why don't you just leave, and study somewhere else from now on." She stated with an aire of authority.

"**What?** Mrs. You know that I don't do anything bad here… they all…." Cho started, wondering if this was all a nightmare, but was cut off by the librarian.

"Maybe you should just go back to China, and study. But get out of here now. She said sternly. Cho was in tears again, and going out of her mind.

"Miss… please… why are you doing this?" Cho pleaded.

"You just shouldn't have been a _blood traitor_ miss Chang. Your own fault. **_Now get out of My library, you slant-eyed, flat nosed, dirty skinned gook." _**She shouted.

Suddenly something in Cho broke down. She slowly stood up, and walked over to get her book bag. She passed several stunned members of Marietta's gang, who were standing slack jawed at seeing the librarian take there side. As she walked to the door Devin Smith put her wand in her pocket. She continued to walk to the door, and found it locked. Someone gave an unlocking charm, and Cho slowly looked to see that it was her _"friend"_ Ian. Cho looked at him with hurt in her eyes that caused him to look away in shame. Cho had never known him to be racist, and they had always been good friends. She had even helped tutor him, and helped him bring up his marks a few years ago. He couldn't look her in the eyes now. His lines said, he could speak no more. Cho opened the door, and walked out of the library toward the Ravenclaw tower. She was in a daze, and shaking as she walked.

There were mixed reactions as Cho left, but almost everyone was boisterous. Ian was almost crying as he asked Marietta if all this was absolutely necessary, Devin Smith seemed to be proud of himself, Pansy Parkinson was congratulating herself, and Marietta stood quietly at the table Cho had just sat at holding a book that she had left behind. Marietta read the title again.

"**Alright shut up the lot of you. Everyone out! **I need to get rid of the evidence in private. We'll take this discussion up at the next meeting. The students began to file out of the library toward the great hall. Marietta stopped Lori Sanchez before she left.

"We need to talk. Tonight. Astronomy tower. Make it one o'clock" Marietta said in a monotone voice, with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Okay, what about?" Lori asked.

"Just be there. Now go." Marietta said, and she watched her leave down the hall. Marietta then locked the door shut, and moved to the center of the room. She looked at the librarian. "Hurry up, we don't have much time." She said. The librarian nodded and went back to her office. Marietta then pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, read it, and put it back. She concentrated really hard, and waved her wand around. She shot blue beams around the library, reciting several spells that took her fifteen minutes to finish. Once done she turned to see Semis Finnigan standing beside her.

"Got what you wanted?" He asked. Marietta looked at the book that she had, in her hand, and read the title once more:**_ The Oxford Cancer Institute: Advanced Brest Cancer Treatment Medical Files Volume 5_** "I'm not sure yet. But I have something." She said in an unreadable voice. "The librarian?" she asked.

"Asleep at her desk. Had a hell of a time getting her clothes back on her." Semis said.

"Let's get out of here." Marietta finished. And the two of them started to the great hall.

Harry Potter had just finished sighing autographs, and was very grateful that so many students still wanted it. Gone was the arrogance of before, this was supposed to be a way for him to make new friends, and he made sure to speak to, and thank everyone who came up too him, especially the few Hufflepuffs that did. He was also feeling more confident, when Fiona Shaw walked up too him for another autographed picture, and he asked her out to Hogsmead on the spot. She was elated and screamed yes at the top of her lungs. They sat a time to leave, and she hugged him, thanked him and then ran off to tell her friends that she had been asked out by _The Harry Potter_! Harry looked over to see Ron setting at the Ravenclaw table with Padma Patel, they were holding hands, and looking at each other intimately. IT surprised Harry, as he thought that Ron might have been with Luna Lovegood instead. But he remembered that Ron didn't want to be committed to anyone, and was just dating Luna, not committed to her either. Harry wondered what Hermione would think of that, and stood up and looked for her. He saw her speaking to Michel Corner, a Ravenclaw boy that had dated Ginny Weasley the previous year, and then past them saw two other students enter the great hall, Marietta Edgencombe and Semis Finnigan. They stopped against the wall, and began talking. The two of them were holding hands, and looking at each other intensely. Harry heard a voice behind him.

"Hey Harry can I get another picture?" Colin asked. Harry sighed.

"Not now Colin. You've gotten enough." Harry said politely.

"Please Harry? Just one more so I can finish the roll?" Colin pleaded.

"Okay. Just one more." Harry said. Harry struck a hero pose with his hands on his sides, and his head looking up, as Colin snapped the picture. Colin thanked him, and then went to go see his brother at the other end of the table. Harry looked back to see Marietta leaving the great hall, and Semis going with her. Harry remembered that fort the past couple of nights that Semis seemed to be sneaking off at night. Once Harry had asked him who he was going to see, and Semis replied that he was going to see Miss Biznezz. First name, Nunya. So Harry Had dropped the questions, getting the sarcasem about Miss Nunya Biznezz. But now he guessed that he knew who she was. What was Semis thanking? Harry thought. He picked up his books, and headed to Defense against Dark Arts class, today being held at the Quidditch pitch. He wondered why. On his way to the outside of the castle Harry walked by the library lately in hopes of seeing Cho. He walked by and looked in the open door expecting to see her deep into her studies. But she wasn't there. No one was. Just missed her, he thought. He would go and see her at dinner, tonight, he thought, and continued out the castle to the pitch.


	32. Chapter 32

asherbcool: Thanks for the complement. The Librarian was the shape shifter. That's why Marietta sent him in ahead, because he had to get into her cloths to impersonate her, and why he was so anxious to get her in back, to knock her out.:)

Chaos666: Cho will eventually face off against Marietta, but she needs to get more confidence first, and Marietta's not exactly going to make things easy on her in that regard. And I still don't know who will win. It'll be a desperate battle between good and evil.

Froggie2: Thanks for the review. You can't imagine how sick it is to put myself in the mindset of Marietta Edgencombe. But I'm glad that I can frustrate you with her actions, and words. It means that I'm writing the character in the proper way. You review is always fun to read.:)

Quillian: Well when a problem like that comes up at Hogwarts they address it, like the pamphlets, but I was going under the assumption that it usually doesn't happen in Hogwarts. Since the Muggle world and Wizarding world are so separate. The most that you usually hear is Blood Traitor, or Mudblood, but the shape shifter had been causing trouble in the Muggleworld, and he taught Marietta the hateful terms, and she taught her gang. I don't know if she's going to tell anyone about what happened yet, and Marietta and her gang aren't about to tell everyone what happened. Also there is no evidence as to what did happen, as one thing that Marietta learned about over the summer is covering up evidence. That's what was in a lot of those dark books. Otherwise Dumbledore being the great wizard that he is would be able to just cast a spell and see what happened. However he has a lot more to worry about than what is going on at Hogwarts, and we'll find him absent from the school a lot in order to prepare for the coming war with You-Know-Who. Not that that's what this story is about, but it distracts Dumbledore.

EnlightenedKing: Too long? No of coarse not. I like long reviews. The more details in a review allows me to know how certain aspects of the story effect people. So trust me I'm happy to read a longer review, so that I can see how people are reacting to the story. Glad that I could help with the test. "What was the word?" In regards to the Chinese inquiry, your right, and only eaten because of a lot of extreme poverty in those areas. But really Marietta and her thugs were just trying to be mean to Cho, by implying that she ate cats, and trying to make her feel different in a negative context. Retribution soon, em well not too soon. Marietta has only just begun to start trouble, but I'll try to shorten the story when I can. As for the light tone? I don't know. I'm really a total Goth, and good feelings don't come easy to me, so If I do lighten up on that it will be a slower progression. It's hard to get happy, but I guess I can put in a copy of "The Wizard of Speed & Time" and feel a bit better and maybe inspired to write. Your kind of right about Fiona, but not exactly. Fiona has a flaw that will come out soon enough. You'll have to wait, sorry.:)

Back again everyone, well this chapter is mostly to show two things.

Harry is not a wuss when it comes to dueling. It's just that Marietta was always able to catch him by surprise. But when Harry's ready, no ones getting the edge on him.

That Harry Blames Draco for what happened at the Quidditch game, as Draco's family has money, and connections, and a motive to go after him.

The rest is filler, and well, there is a lot of dialog in it. So I hope it keeps everyone interested. **_And believe me I really am grateful for all of you reading it. Really!_**

** Chapter 32: Dueling Class.**

The collection of Gryffindor, and Slytheren sixth years assembled around the center of the pitch, where a raised platform of blue, foam mats were set in a circle. Almost all of the students were confused as to their reason for being at the Quidditch Pitch for a Defense against Dark Arts class. _Almost all_. Draco Malfoy, who was as usual flanked by Crab, and Golye, was looking at Harry with dagger eyes.

"Oy, Potter, Weasley, you two are in for a real treat today. I told you that I would get even with you Potter, and now I can do it with the blessing of the school." Malfoy said, as the smiles of the three Slytherins collectively widened. Harry looked at Malfoy with contempt. He knew that it was Draco that impersonated him at the Quidditch, and he knew exactly how he did it. He must have used Polly-juice potion. As soon as he found away to get Draco alone, he would make him confess, and have his proof. Ron leaned over to Harry.

"Do ya think that he knows something that we don't?" Ron asked. Harry nodded.

"Yea, but… I think that I know how he got me in trouble in the Quiddich game the other day. We need to talk tonight; we'll have to have Hermione sneak out after hours with us. Can you two call another truce?" Harry asked seeing Hermione talking to another girl a few students down. Ron gave a Humph sound.

"I'm not the problem Harry. Hermione is the one acting so pissy lately. Believe me; I don't look to start the arguments lately." Ron said. The two of them stopped talking as Professor Snape walked to the center of the pitch holding several pages of parchment in one hand, and his wand in the other. Snape looked around at all the students, and spotted Harry and Ron. He then looked over to Draco.

"I have in my hand the results to the vampire test that was taken last week. I was very disappointed to find that only one student completed all the questions right. Only one receives one hundred points. You have to do better people. Nothing less than perfect is acceptable in my class. Now that student receives a twenty point bonus for their house." Snape walked over to Draco. "Now Mr. Malfoy, do you think it's you?" Snape asked cheerfully. Draco put his head up, and crossed his hands.  
"Yes, Professor, it must be." Draco said proudly. Snape's smile disappeared at an instant.

"**Well it's not you, and you'd better start thinking of a quick way to get twenty points for our house, because I'm tired of handing them out to Gryffindors, and Ravenclaws!** You're disappointing me Draco, I expect better from you, and so does your father." Snape screamed at the top of his lungs. He looked around to see Hermione. "Now Miss Granger… You've passed every test in just about every class with perfect marks, are you ready to receive your points?" Snape asked with a grin. Hermione nodded with a smile, knowing that she answered everything correct. Snape balled his fist. **"Well too bad you obviously didn't study hard enough, because you only received a ninety six!"** Snape yelled. Hermione gasped! She never expected to get a wrong answer.

"Professor… there must be some mistake. I'm sure I answered everything right. What could I have possible missed?" Hermione asked. Snape shuffled through the papers and pulled out her parchment.

"Well for one thing Miss Granger, when asked to list all the ways to kill a vampire, you failed to mention that you could kill them with silver. That was two points off right there." Snape said. Hermione shook her hand violently to ask a question. "Yes Miss Granger?" Snape said in a board tone.

"Professor, I think that silver is used to kill only werewolves." She said. Snape smiled.

"Really? Are you sure…enough to lose an additional two points on your paper?" Snape asked... Hermione thought about it. How could she be wrong? She studied the lesson over and over. Ron tried to get her attention, trying to tell her not to do it. Hermione nodded. "Did you bring your book to class Miss Granger?" Snape smiled. Hermione nodded again. "You would wouldn't you. Alright Miss Granger, turn to page six hundred and seventy three." Snape said. Hermione turned to the page, and read the lesson. She read all the ways to kill a vampire. Steak through the heart, fire, cross, decapitation, holy water, amongst others, and at the very end silver. How could she have missed it? Would this affect her marks forever? Was she doomed to become a below average student? But Snape had said that she had lost four points, and the question was only worth two.

"Professor Snape. You said that I lost four points. What other question did I miss sir?" Hermione pleaded. Snape's smile was the largest anyone had ever seen.

"I'm glad that you asked that in public Miss Granger. You signed you name Ronald Weasley, with a heart beside it. If I hadn't been able to recognize you handwriting I would have thought that he turned in two exceedingly long papers." Snape finished. Hermione blushed as several of the students in the class giggled and laughed. She was so embarrassed about what had happened that she started to run off the field, but came back after professor Snape said she would get a failing mark for the day if she left. Snape walked through the students and rhetorically asked them who the student was that aced the test that was one of the most difficult that he had created. The student in question, has a history of being only a mediocre, barely average student, yet was able to pass my most difficult test so far. No one could answer. Snape walked back to the center of the students, and over to Ron. "Mr. Weasley, can you tell me how you managed it?" Professor Snape asked suspiciously.

"Managed what sir?" Ron asked innocently.

"Managed to get a perfect score on such a difficult test, Mr. Weasley. Did you have help from another student; did you have someone else turn in a paper with your name on it? _Did you cheat?_" Snap said, not fully believing that it was Ron's work. Ron was offended at the accusation.

"I didn't cheat Sir. My brother Bill was obsessed with all things vampire a few years ago. Vampires were all he ever talked about, and I guess I just absorbed some of what he was talking about. I mean, he had all the vampire novels, and comics, and everything. He even dated one for a time, but they could never hang out during the day, and she was about six hundred years to old for him. Anyway, I passively got into it as well Professor." Ron said in one breath. Snape looked at him unconvinced.

"Really Mr. Weasley?" Snape asked.

"Really Professor." Ron replied.

"Than perhaps you wouldn't mind telling us what Vampire defeated the Golden Dragon of Canterbury?" Snape asked. Ron thought for a second, closing his eyes to concentrate, soon he recalled a book of Bill's that he had read about the subject. Ron raised his head, and looked at Professor Snape.

"I believe it was Brian Boyd, the Vampire from Dublin sir." Ron said confidently. Snape gave him a surprised look, and a capitulating sigh.

"Fine Weasley, you get your twenty." Snape said agitated. He handed the papers out to the students and waited for them to put them away. Hermione kept hers out, still traumatized at the mark on her paper.

"Now listen close everyone. Due to the events that took place in the Ministry of Magic last year, it has become clear that soon many of you may face some dark forces in the near future. Many of you may wish to join the new Wizarding Army being raised, upon graduation. I will now be overseeing your advances dueling techniques. If you all remember, Professor Gilroy Lockhart and I gave you a small taste of it in your second year. Well now you have come a lot further in your training. Now you have to be much more aggressive. We will have duels, you can use any curse, or jinx you wish… except of coarse for those three that you can never use." Snape said seriously. He pointed to a tent with a red cross on it. "After you lose a duel, Madam Pomfrey will be there to cure… _eventually_… any students effected from the curses, and jinx used. Only sixth and seventy year students are taking this instruction, so feel privileged. Remember anything goes except for the three unforgivable curses. We'll… yes Miss Granger, what do you want?" Snape said, seeing Hermione with her hand up.

"Excuse me Professor, but do you think that the Head Master would approve of this… anything goes rule? It seems so dangerous." Hermione said. Snape gave her a disgusted look.

"Well you can talk it over with him in you own time, but it might interest you to know that it was _his_ idea. Now would you like to challenge any other of the head master's ideas Miss Granger? I mean since you seem to know better than everyone else." Snape said livid. Hermione shook her head. Snape motioned over to Neville Longbottom to come forward, and handed him a clip board, with a piece of Parchment and a Quill.

"You keep a record Longbottom." Snape said as Neville nodded. Now who shall we start with?" Snape said to himself. "Mr. Dean Thomas step up here… and Mr. Theodore Nott." Snape said casually. The two students faced each other and after some last minute instruction by Snape, each gave a bow to the other. Snape counted off. "Ready?" Snape asked, and the two students held their wands ready, and each nodded. Three… two… one… **_Go!"_** He yelled. Thomas shouted out the appropriate word to use the Conjunctvitis curse on Nott, and Nott tried to use the Bat Bogy hex too late, and was sent flying back with his eyes shut. He was quickly escorted toward the medical tent by two other students. Snape seemed disappointed, and called out the next two students. "Parvati Patel… and Millicent Bulstrode!" Snape shouted and the two students observed the courtesies. "Three… two… one… **_Go!_**" Snape shouted. Parvati tried to say the Densaugeo curse seconds too late, as Millicent yelled out "Furnuculus!" more quickly and was able to move her wand about correctly, before Parvati could counter. Suddenly Parvati was covered in boils and had to be taken to the medical tent by a couple of her fellow Gryffindors, as she screamed in pain. The dueling went on and on with the Gryffindors having slightly more victories than Slytheren. Harry and Ron watched with sincere interest waiting for their turn.

"Vincent Crab… and Semis Finnigan" Snape called out. Crab took the center stage, and waited, but Finnigan did not appear. Snape looked around irritated. "Semis Finnigan?" Snape shouted again. No reply. "Where the hell is Mr. Finnigan?" Snape asked. Everyone looked around.

"He's not here sir." Ron shouted. Snape quickly turned to him.

"I can see that Mr. Weasley. Go to the castle and find out what happened to him. And he had better have a good excuse for not being here." Snape said. Ron shrugged and headed to the castle.

"Vincent Crab… and Harry Potter." Snape shouted. Harry and Crab moved to face each other, each giving the minimum bow, and reading themselves. "Three… two… one… **_Go!_**" Snape yelled. "Crab tried to use Incendio to burn Harry, but Harry was able to give him the Incarcerous curse first, and Crab was bound by ropes instantly. Then Harry used a babbling curse for good measure. Crab was escorted to the medical tent ranting on incoherently by two other Slytherins. Harry started to step down from the raised mats.

"**Not so fast Mr. Potter!"** Snape yelled. Harry turned around and waited. Snape turned to Gregory Golye, and motioned him to the dueling area, after a bow and a countdown Harry made short work of him as well. Snape started sending all his Slytherins against Harry one at a time, each being defeated in succession. Finally he sent Draco Malfoy up to face off with Potter. "Now Mr. Malfoy… Mr. Potter. Each of you tell me, and the class what spell you intend to use before we begin." Snape said. Each boy thought for a minute. Finally Draco raised his head proudly, and said…

"I plan to use a transformation curse that will turn Potter into a piece of dragon dung Professor." Draco laughed. Harry was steaming mad. Draco had already done enough to him, by impersonating him in the Quidditch game, and now he thought he was going to turn him into a piece of dung? Not bloody likely! Harry thought.

"And You Mr. Potter… what will you use?" Snape asked. Harry looked at Draco contemptuously.

"I'm going to turn Draco into a stupid git… oh wait too late. Well I'll just have to give him the snapis limbis curse that randomly breaks one of his limbs." Harry said enjoying the thought of sweet revenge that he would have against this son of a death Eater that had impersonated him in the Quidditch match, and made him more enemies. Snape smiled.

"You're sure that's the one you will use Potter?" Snape asked. Harry nodded. "Good, alright, ready? Three… two… **Wait! Wait**… stand fast." Snape said. He looked around. This is getting redundant. Let's make things more… interesting. Draco step down." Snape said in a reflective tone. Draco's mouth dropped open.

"Oh come on please sir, I can take him no problem. Just give me a chance." Draco protested. Snape shook his head, and motioned Draco to step down which he did.

"Snapis limbis huh? Alright. Let's set you up with a new opponent. **Miss Granger**, step up." Snape shouted.

"**What?"** Harry and Hermione shouted in unison.

"Oh come now, there's nothing in the curriculum or rules that say you cannot duel with someone of the same house. Now get ready." Snape shouted.

"Sir, Hermione's a girl." Harry protested.

"I'm glad that you know your genders Mr. Potter. May I remind you that there is a full fledged war coming our way, and that Miss Granger's opponents will most likely not be only girls, or even mostly girls. Oh, and you had a good idea about the Snapis limbis charm. Miss Granger, you try and use that one too." Snape said mischievously. Harry and Hermione faced each other with looks of horror on their face. Harry looked back at Snape.

"Well, actually I think that a stupefy charm would be better. I could…" Harry started, but was cut off.

"No Mr. Potter, you wouldn't have had a problem using the Snapis Limbis on Mr. Malfoy, so you can use it on Miss Granger. Now bow to each other and get ready. Harry looked back to Hermione. They each bowed.

"This is stupid, he's just being a sadist, and he's just getting off on seeing us hurt each other." Harry whispered to Hermione.

"**Three!"** shouted Snape.

"We… have to… to do it Harry. Everyone's gone to the medical tent today, it'll only be painful for a few minutes, and then Madam Pomfrey will fix us up." Hermione whispered back.

"**Two!"** Snape shouted after a slight pause.

"I can't do it Hermione. I can't." Harry said apologetically.

"You have to try Harry. After we can go to Dumbledore and complain." Hermione said quietly.

"I still don't want to see him yet. I still have issues with him, and…" Harry was again cut off.

"Stand ready Harry, Madam Pomfrey will take care of us." Hermione assured him.

"Ever broken your arm before? It hurts real badly even if for a short time. Remember that bludger of Dobbie's in our second year?" Harry said.

"**Three…Go!"** Snape shouted. Harry and Hermione took out pointed their wands and Harry told Hermione to move left, as she did he shouted the incantation for the jinx, which barely missed her. She then shouted to Harry to duck, and used the same jinx missing him. This went on for a minute before Snape shouted at them to stop. "Well Mr. Potter, it seems that you two don't know how to use this jinx to well. I guess that Draco needs to show you how to do it. Draco get up there, and use the Snapis limbis jinx for your duel." Snape shouted angrily.

"Finally!" Draco smiled, giving Harry a mischievous look as he stepped up on the mats. Hermione started to step down.

"No Miss Granger. Stay where you are. Potter get down. The opponents for this duel will be Draco, and Miss Granger." Snape said casually. Draco turned to him with a look of surprise, as did Harry and Hermione.

"This is unacceptable Professor! That Jinx is too painful to use on another student! I protest." Harry shouted. Snape folded his arms.

"Really Mr. Potter? You didn't seem to have a problem when you were going to use it on Malfoy. In fact it was your idea, was it not?" Snape said casually.

"Well that was when it was Malfoy. I wouldn't use it against a girl." Harry protested. Snape's smile slowly faded.

"Really? Were you not using it on her just now, or were you missing on purpose?" Snape asked.

"You know I was! So what!" Harry asked contemptuously.

"So you get a failing mark for the day, and you can go and I think that word will go around the school about how you only enjoy abusing and jinxing members of the other houses, like what happened at the Quidditch pitch with the Hufflepuffs, and you only seem to have a problem with Gryffindor students. You own little elitist group. But don't worry. Draco and Hermione will be using the Jinx, not you." Snape finished. He looked to Draco and Granger, and instructed them to bow, which they did. Harry looked on with anticipation. "Three… two… one… **Go!**" Snape shouted. Hermione shouted the incantation, but Draco used a shield charm to block it. He then pointed his wand at her left and shouted the incantation at the same time. Hermione moved left to avoid the spot where she thought that Draco would fire at and was caught by the full force of his blast, her left leg breaking in two places, and causing her to fall backward screaming in agony."

"Noooo!" Harry shouted. And pulled his wand to hit Malfoy. "Incendio!" Harry shouted, but Snape had already guessed what he would do if Malfoy had won, and used Expelliarmus to knock the wand from Harry's hand, leaving Draco only a little singed.

"**Accio wand!"** Snape shouted, and Harry's wand went flying to him. He gave Harry a look of deep hatred. "You can have this back when you can act like a civilized human being Potter. After I have a talk with your head of house. Now help Malfoy get Miss Granger over to the medical tent." Snape said pointing to Hermione, who was still moaning in pain. Draco had used the ferula charm to make a splint for Hermione, and he and Harry supported her on each side, as they walked her to the medical tent. Several students who had been jinxed earlier were walking out cured.

"I knew you were going to move left to avoid my jinx Granger, you moved left every time that Potter fired it at you. You became predictable, and complacent. That's why I fired to the left of you instead of strait at you. You jumped right into it." Draco said proud of himself. Harry's face was read with rage.

"**Shut up Malfoy!"** Harry shouted. Malfoy turned to Harry with an even brighter smile.

"Just too bad that it couldn't have been you potter! That would have been really satisfying. But I think that we might be doing this tomorrow as well. Professor Snape has been training me personally in some particular nasty jinxes. You'll see. Harry shot a hateful glance over at Malfoy as they entered the tent and put Hermione on a cot. She had been moaning in pain all the way there. Madam Pomfrey gave her a cheerful charm to stop the pain. Harry looked at Malfoy.

"You seem so proud to be the teaches pet Malfoy does he tuck you in to bed at night and read you bedtime stories?" Harry asked in a tiny mocking voice. Malfoy balled up his fist. Telling Harry to shut up. But Harry was mad, and he knew that it was Malfoy that had sat him up at the Pitch during the game, most likely using Polly-juice potion, and it was Malfoy who just broke Hermione's leg. Harry was angry, and it took every bit of effort to control himself. He looked up at Draco.

"But I can understand your need for a new father figure Draco, since you own father is going to be sent to Azkaban, and you'll never see him again." Harry smiled. Draco shot an angry glance at Harry and raise his wand, Harry reached for his own not finding it, and remembering that Snape had taken it up. Madam Pomfrey saw what was going on and shouted at the two students to cut it out or they would be sent to the Head Master. Draco shot one more hateful glance over at Potter.

"This isn't over Potter." He said, and then left the tent. My thoughts exactly Harry thought as he watched him leave.

"Harry come over here!" Hermione called to him from where she was laying. Harry walked quickly over to her.

"Are you okay Hermione?" He asked her.

"Much better now. You were right about the pain. Madam Pomfrey said I have to keep off it for a few hours because it's still going to be sore for a while. So I'll catch up with you later. Hey, Harry don't let that git Malfoy get to you, I'm okay now, and it was within the rules." Hermione smiled still a little groggy from the cheerful charms. Harry nodded.

"I'll try Hermione, but it's not just that, Malfoy is the one who impersonated me at the pitch during the game. I know it was him. I dreamed that the person used an invisibility cloak to hide my body. You have to have a lot of money and connections to get one of those. It has to be him, working for You-Know-Who in his fathers place." Harry said very quietly. Hermione looked at him amazed.

"How do you think he's doing it Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry gave a slight smile.

"I think that he's using Polly-juice potion, and I think that I know just the person… err entity to help us find out where he's mixing it. Harry said. Hermione was going to ask who it was but about that time Ron came into the room and she suddenly started acting like she was in tremendous pain. Ron rushed over to Hermione concerned.

"Hermione! Are you okay? What happened?" Ron asked surprised. Draco broke her leg with the snapis limbis charm while they were dueling. Snape had them square off just to be sadistic." Harry said agitated.

"Those slime, when I get my hands on Malfoy!" Ron started. Madam Pomfrey came over to them when she heard Hermione moan in pain.

"Still feeling bad Miss Granger? That's odd I thought you were just fine a minute ago. I'll hit you with anther cheerful charm, but it'll really make you a little silly, so I think that you'll have to stay here a while longer." She finished. Hermione opened her mouth to protest too late, as she was hit by the charm and started to giggle. After Harry and Ron made sure that she was okay they headed back to the castle.

"Oh Ron, whatever happened to Semis? Where was he?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged saying that he had no idea.

"I thought that he was probably asleep since he leaves every night after curfew, but I couldn't find him in the common room. I think that Snape will give him a failing mark for the day." Ron said. Harry nodded. Ron stopped, and turned to Harry. "OH Harry Professor Jittlov is having an open Special Effects class at Hogsmead for the first weekend. You should bring Fiona. I'm bringing Luna, I would invite Hermione, but I don't think that she'll come. Besides girls tend to flip if you invite other girls on dates with you." Ron said. "But it's a really cool class so far. All we've done so far is go through a magic portal to Hollywood, and watch Muggle films, and learn about moviemaking equipment. But soon starting soon we'll learn to do special effects magic. I don't understand everything that the Professor was talking about, but he mentioned stuff about Stop Motion, animation, with Pixilation, and Blue screen, so it will be interesting." Ron finished.

"Sounds like it. Where will it be?" Harry asked.

"The Three broomsticks has a room in the back that will have the class, just for that day. We have to go through the magic portal for regular class, because all the real magic at Hogwarts shorts all the muggle equipment." Ron finished. Harry nodded and they both headed for their next class.


	33. Chapter 33

Quillian: Thanks for reading:) Yes, well I guess I was trying to make Snape more inpatient than angry.

Froggie2: Thanks, there is not any action adventure in this one either I'm afraid, but I'll try to make other chapters interesting. I know I need more action, but first some puzzle pieces.

EnlightenedKing: Thanks! I had people complain to me that Harry seemed weak, being outdone by Marietta, so I wanted to show that that was not the case. He beat like five or six Slytherins in a row.

Humm, I don't think I'll right too much stuff about Ravenclaw dueling class, as they will be training against Huffelpuff, and Snape would not care about Marietta's and Cho's rivalry. He only had Harry fight Hermione, because it was personal for him. But rest assured when Cho finally gets some confidence, and Marietta has gone too far, it's on.

Your right that the shape shifter creature has no care about pureblood, or anything, but he's not a vampire. Harry vs. Draco, I think yes, soon. Harry blames Draco for the pitch incident.

I really don't want to tell you if Marietta has any dealings with You-Know-Who, just yet, but stay tuned. Let me just say that Marietta has her own agenda first and foremost, and lives by the idea that the ends justify the means. She is a master of manipulation, and will claim that she believes something that she doesn't, just to get her way. I also hope that you have a good day, and hope that you like the next chapter.:)

Chang Kuei: Thanks for the great review. Yea, Marietta and her gang are targeting Cho, but it will get worse for her when her friends come under Marietta's abuse. Thanks for posting:)

**_Okay, here we go again, with another chapter. But first I have to tell everyone that I got a review of chapter five recently that makes me think that I need to clarify some issues_** **_of cannon. I want to print the letter here, and then answer the concerns. So please pay attention, as I want to prove that I'm sticking as close to the books as possible._**

**_From: _**bluprncss1:

I'm just reading this now and I'm not done yet, but this part really bothered me, don't get mad here goes: Harry potter is NOT a MUDBLOOD he is a HALF-BLOOD, and not even directly cuz his mum and dad are both magical, it's only because his mother was a muggle-born and soo most purebloods don't have much problem with half-bloods becuz it would be kinda hypocritical of them if they supported Voldemort, who's a half-blood, and hated his kind too. Anyway that's all but the story is good so far, hilarious how Harry treated the Dursleys, they totally deserved it.

**_Now bluprncss1 made some good observations, but you have to remember a few things. _**

_**Harry is in Malfoy's mind a mudblood because even half bloods are considered tainted by the more extremist purebloods. In the first book Malfoy sot to befriend Harry as a means to having a popular, powerful friend. Proving that racist will ally with the "enemy" if they feel that they can benefit from it. **_

**_IT is true that You-Know-Who is a half blood but if I recall GOF, he revealed this to Harry, before that Death Eaters came, and if I understand correctly, Wormtail is the only other person who knows aside from Harry. I think that Voldermort said something to that effect in the grave yard before the Death Eaters arrived, about how he didn't let people know about his father, Tom Riddle, being a muggle. So as far as I remember, no one but Harry and Wormtail know the secrete._** **_Sort of like the rumor that Hitler was a quarter Jewish, and he tried to keep it secrete _**

**_Now I do know that half bloods are considered impure by Draco Malfoy, as in a scene missing from the movie, but in the book: GOF, before getting zapped by like five people, Draco says something to the effect of: "Now that the Dark Lord is back you Potter and the rest of the Mudbloods are going to be the first to go, well actually Cedric was the first to…ZAP!" Not an exact quote, but I remember that Cedric had a magical father, and mother, and was still considered unworthy of Pureblood status. SO I base the whole pureblood hate thing on that. I'm just too tired to go to my car right now and look it up. It's like two in the morning now, and… well enough said;) I really hope that everyone enjoys the next chapter, but it's mostly filler. I'm trying to think ahead, so I'll be able to right better soon. Take care, and thinks for reviewing:D_**

_**Oh! One last thing. I keep trying to post my myspace on here, but it doesn't let me. But if you have myspace look under Highice007, I mean if your vaguely interested.**_

**Chapter 32: Filche's Living Quarters **

Lori Sanchez had been waiting atop the astronomy tower for fifteen minutes, and was shaking from the cold, and about to give up and go inside. She looked at the light coming from Hogsmead, and heard the sounds of people working on something big, wondering if the society was setting up, and preparing things now, for the rally. It was cold, it was one fifteen, and she was about to leave she thought. Where the hell is she?

"Hello Lori." Marietta said casually. Lori jumped with surprise.

"**_Shit!_** Marietta, you scared the crap out of me!" she said.

"Why, you were expecting me." She replied. Lori shrugged.

"I don't know, I guess that I'm just… afraid of getting caught after curfew. What did you want to see me about?" Lori asked arms folded from the cold. Marietta thought for a second, and looked at Lori.

"Lori… I know you took the oath, and I would never question your dedication to the society, but I have to ask… do _you_ have any doubts that you are one-hundred percent loyal to it? Would you be willing to do anything to advance to cause of purebloods all over the UK, and Europe?" Marietta asked. Lori gave a small chuckle.

"Yes Marietta, I am very sure of my loyalty. I know that the society has called upon me, and I am ready to take our world back from the Mudbloods, and Blood Traitors, and send them packing to their own world." Lori said. Marietta walked around her, looking her over from head to toe, as if searching her for some doubt. Finally Marietta stopped, and looked Lori in the eyes.

"I'm very glad to hear that Lori. Now I have a very important question for you. How do you like your detentions with Professor Sprout?" Marietta asked.

"What do you mean, how do I like them? I hate them! Having to spend two hours a day with that Mudblood woman, hands deep in dirt, and helping her grow mandrakes for the second years to use. Miserable. And the crazy nutter is way into her job, practically lives in the green house. After class, on weekends. I have these keys to get in, so that I have everything ready for her when she comes from her office, which she only goes to ta grade papers. She was showing the Head Master the new shipments of pincher plants the other day, and knocked over one, right at my feet. _It pinched me_, and it hurt. Clumsy bitch." Marietta seemed really interested in what Lori was telling her, she seemed to be hanging on every word, but Lori was just letting off some steam.

"Fascinating! Tell me more, every detail. Is she really clumsy as a habit?" Marietta asked. Lori was surprised that Marietta developed such an interest in Herbology, and Professor Sprout.

"Well not really. I mean, it's just that… well you know, accidents happen. I'm just mad that the plant pinched me when it did." Lori said. Marietta looked at the sky reflectively.

"Yes your right, they do happen. Accidents, I mean. And you're sure that the Head Master saw her knock it over?" Marietta asked with genuine interest. Lori gave a sigh.

"Yes Marietta, I'm sure, now why are you so interested in my detention?" Lori asked. Marietta didn't answer her question, but countered with one of her own.

"How many mandrakes, are there, and how far along are they?" she asked. Lori was thinking that Marietta was going mad, and it must be the cold. She explained that she did not know the number of them, but that they would be in adulthood by late February.

"And does Professor Sprout know about the number of them?" Marietta asked. Lori was getting annoyed at this weird questioning.

"I guess, she's obsessed with Herbology enough for it. Look Marietta, what's going on here? You could have asked me these questions in the great hall… _where it's warm!" _Lori said, more aggravated now than annoyed.

"Look I'm sorry Lori, but this is important. Just a few more questions, what would happen to you if one of the mandrakes went missing?" Marietta asked. Lori's eyes opened wide.

"Then I would be in detention for a month, spending every weekday after school with that inferior person." Lori complained.

"And what if you were not around when it went missing?" Marietta asked. Lori threw up her hands, and rolled her eyes.

"I don't know Marietta. I think that the Mudblood would probably find a way to blame me anyway." Lori said her face red from the cold, or anger… Marietta wasn't sure which.

"Look I have a mission for you Lori, find a day that you get to the green houses before she arrives, and take one of the Mandrakes, out of it. Bring it to me, or hide in the very edge of the Forbidden Forest. If you bring it to me, do it at night, and bring two sets of earmuffs. But I prefer you to take it into the forest, just inside where it can't be seen. If you do that remember where you left it so that you can tell me the exact location. Do you understand?" Marietta said in a serious tone. Lori looked at her blankly.

"Are you off your chum Marietta, I said I would get more detention. What could your plan possibly be?" Lori asked. Marietta gave her a comforting pat on the back, and told her not to worry. It was orders from the top, and she couldn't disclose the reason why. Lori would just have to trust her, and if necessary "take one for the team", and she would make it up to her with a shopping trip later, at her own expense. Lori remembered all the beautiful things in Marietta's mansion, and remembered that she could afford a lot. Well maybe it would be worth it, but Marietta had better be ready to dish out the Galleons if Lori was going to spend a month's detention, with someone so inferior. Marietta smiled at Lori.

"Look Lori, you're the only one who can do this, I'm sure that Sprout will have more than a mere lock charm on the door, and I don't think a simple unlocking charm will get me in. Now I know how dependable you are, so I know that you can do it. Now get back to your nice warm bed, and don't talk about this to anyone else in the society_. Not anyone! _Lori nodded and gave a salute with a raised right arm, hand pointed out with the thumb bent back. Marietta returned it, and they both left their separate ways.

**_Later in Filches office: _**

"You're late! Very late Marietta." Semis complained in a thick Irish accent.

"Can you blame me? I had to wait outside, under the invisibility cloak for the ghost to take a break from hugging the wall. They spend forever here. I'm going to have to bewitch another room in another part of the castle to get them away from here. But I did talk to Lori, so at least that's out of the way." Marietta said annoyed. Semis raised an eyebrow.

"What did you want to talk to her about?" he asked.

"I needed to find about that Mudblood teacher Sprout. I need to open up a new position for a new teacher when you replace Dumbledore. I also need to get rid of that disgusting giant in Magical creature's class as well." Marietta said.

"And did you find a way to do it?" Semis asked.

"NO. I only had Lori go over the details of what goes on during her detention so that I can come up with something. But I think that I can use the Mandrakes to my advantage somehow." Marietta finished.

"What's a Mandrake?" Semis asked.

"Just a dangerous plant." Marietta said. "How were classes' today love?" She asked. Semis brought a cigarette up to his lips and took a drag. He closed his eyes and let out a puff of smoke. He looked at Marietta casually.

"I don't know… I didn't go to most of them. I slept in this room all day." Semis said casually. Marietta's eyes went wide.

"Why didn't you go to class?" she asked a little upset. Semis laughed.

"Why should I? We're going to get rid of Semis when were done anyway. It's not like it maters if he graduates or not. Marietta gave a sigh.

"It's important that you don't get detention. You need to be free to move about as Semis." Semis lay back in the bed, he was nude, and Marietta noticed the scar that was with her boyfriend no mater whose form he took.

"Well I couldn't go to Defense against Dark Arts class anyway. It was at the Quidditch Pitch and that's out of my range. I can't go to that class tomorrow. I asked if I could go to Madam Pomfrey, but was told that she had a tent down at the pitch. So I came here to sleep, and haven't left since." Semis said taking another drag off his cigarette. Marietta looked troubled by something. Very troubled.

"What's bothering you Marietta?" Semis asked. Marietta handed Semis a thick book that she had been holding, and closed her eyes in concentration.

"This is bothering me." She said. Semis looked at the title.

"A book on brest cancer? Do you have it?" He asked surprised. Marietta gave a hump!

"No as a matter of fact I don't. Cho was reading it in the library, when we ambushed her this morning. It's a muggle book. Why would Cho Chang be reading a muggle book on breast cancer?" Marietta asked.

"Maybe she has it." Semis said with a shrug. Marietta shook her head.

"No, that's not it. You see. Cho's mum has been sick for a long time. I was in St. Mungoes this past summer, and so was Cho's mum. Cho and my friendship broke when I started insulting her Mudblood friends. I never found out what happened to her mum, except that she left hospital, so I assumed that she was okay, because she left. Well, the Changs have always been… well quite when one of them is really sick. Cho never talked much about her mother's illness, but I got the impression she wanted too. One time an aunt of hers died, and she wasn't supposed to talk about it because of some Chinese superstition. But I could tell it hit her pretty hard. She really wanted to confide in me, but couldn't because of that fact. I think now that maybe her mother didn't get so well. I think that her mum has breast cancer. Now I'm at an impasse, I feel drawn to use it against Cho, but I respect her family. They are pureblood, and never intermixed, even though they didn't have a problem with Cho dating that dead Huffelpuff boy. I respect her family for staying pure. I don't want them to suffer. " Marietta said seemingly depressed.

"So what are you going to do?" Semis asked her curious. Marietta took the book back from him, and ran her fingers over the indented letters of the title. She thought about how she could hurt Cho with the new knowledge that she believed she now had. She also thought about the times that their families had spent together. Marietta looked at the words Brest cancer again, taking in the full weight of the meaning of the word. She was quiet for a moment, deep in thought.

"Well?" Semis asked. "What are you going to do with the knowledge?" he asked. Marietta put the book on a shelf, and turned to Semis.

"For now… nothing. I can use other ways to hurt her. This will be a last resort." She finally decided.

"Hump. Well I'll be interested to see what you do to her next Marietta. After he let the smoke out of his lungs Marietta jumped on him, and began to kiss him passionately.

"Mmmmmm… I missed you love. We never get anytime together. It's not fair." Marietta frowned. Semis ran his hand through her hair. Assuring her that after this year that they could be together, but for now they would have to just deal with it. Marietta ran her hand along his ribs, and felt the scar. She leaned over to look at it, and looked back at Semi's face. "So when are you going to tell me about the scar?" Marietta asked. Semis looked down at her.

"You really want to know about the scar?" He asked. Marietta nodded. "Alright… a long time ago, in nineteen twenty six, a brilliant man by the name of Premier Baron Gi-ichi Tanaka wrote a plan for the conquest of the world titled the Tanaka Memorial. It was Japan's destiny he believed to rule the world. I was impersonating a Japanese General at the time that he presented the plan. I usually didn't stay in one form for too long, and was about to move on from the three years that I had stayed in Japan. It was a brilliant plan, but Japan didn't have the resources to wage a war. Still… the man was so brilliant that I had to stay on and see what happened." He said. Marietta looked confused.

"Love what does that have to do with anything?" Marietta asked. Semis kissed her.

"Patience dear." Semis said casually. "So as I was saying, Japan didn't have the resources to take over the world. Then came Nineteen thirty one. Ah that year… I miss it. Under the banner of the Emperor we invaded Manchuria, a mineral rich area in Northern China. It didn't take us long to take it and put it to our own use. In addition we made a deal to buy scrap metal from the United States. Together we put the two good fortunes to our use, and in nineteen thirty seven we invaded China proper, with much success. We even tried to invade the former Soviet Union, but that turned out bad, and we had to sign a treaty. During this time another muggle in Europe had the same idea to take over the world. His name was Adolph Hitler, and he also wanted his share of conquest. We formed and alliance with him and put the Tanaka, memorial into action. But first we had to get rid of the American and British influence in the Pacific Ocean. I took over the identity of a particular racist commander at Singapore. We defeated the British colony, but a Welsh Soldier stuck a bayonet in my side, before he was shot down in turn. Normally that wouldn't have had an effect on me, but when one of my kind stays in a body too long, we become susceptible to the limitations of that body type. We can be damaged like your kind, I mean human, not Muggle, or Wizarding kind. So I carry the scar because I impersonated him too long. Anyway I stayed with the Japanese until the end of the war, because for the beginning we were wining every battle against the UK and her allies. But things turned angst us, and we lost the war. I didn't change sides, until Americans stepped on Okinawa. I surrendered there. You see I had spent so long there that I had forgotten what I was for a while. I was lucky. At the time I knew of another of my kind serving in the Japanese military at the time. He was imitating an officer in Hiroshima, but that's a story for another time. It's safer for our kind to cause trouble in the muggle world, because in the wizarding world Auroer's destroyed many of us. I had been moving among positions close to world leaders when Professor Ian Watson found me, and employed me in his service, and here I am, with my scar." He said. Marietta looked at him near speechless.

"I don't understand? Are you saying your Japanese?" Marietta asked. Semis laughed.

"No… I was simply telling you why my scar will always be here. That's why I'm a bit concerned about being Mr. Finnegan for too long. My kind actually evolved from the swamps of the earth, about a million years ago. Just evolution. Our ability to become other entities started as a defense adaptation. Now we use it to cause chaos in the muggle world. But we have our weaknesses. This scar represents one of them." He said. Marietta looked at him curiously.

"And why do you cause chaos?" she asked.

"Simple", he said. It's just in our nature. That's what your plan will do to the magic world. That's one of the reason's I agreed to do this." He said. Marietta gave her boyfriend a dirty look.

"My plan will _not_ cause chaos, but insure stability and control in this world, and I would hope that you sighed on for more than just the chaos wish. What about me?" Marietta asked, offended. Semis smiled.

"Oh yes of course for you too. You have potential to be vicious yourself. You proved that in Dover this summer. You impressed even me. That was very impressive." Semis finished. Marietta smiled, and lay back in his arms.

"Yes, well Dover was my personal treat to myself. I was lucky to find out that I was next in line, and that she was a mudblood. She turned to face him and he began to unbutton her shirt.

**The next morning:**

"**Marietta wake up you vile little girl!" **Filch screamed. Marietta shot up from her uncles yelling, and rubbed her eyes. She felt wet and looked back. She had fallen asleep in her lover's arms, and when he had fallen asleep as well, he reverted back to his actual jelled form, which Marietta was now lying in. Filch had come in to sleep just before the usual time that the shape shifter left to the Gryffindor dorm, and found Marietta in his sleeping quarters. Filch started to berate her about sleeping with magical creatures, and being out after curfew, and _"Doing it"_ in his quarters! Marietta looked at her bewitched watch. Six thirty AM. She looked up at Filch, wanting to insult him, but too tired to fight. She stretched her arms and gave a loud yawn.

"Are the ghost outside uncle?" she asked. Filch looked at his niece with utter contempt.

"No! But who knows how long until they are back. Now get out." He said through gritted teeth. Marietta walked out of Filche's living quarters and into his office, her clothes damp from sleeping on the blob that was her boyfriend. She looked around the office.

"I have to put another spell on it now uncle." She said sleepily. Filche's eyes went wide.

"Not now girl! Later. Please don't open it while I'm here." Filch pleaded. Marietta looked at Filch, and rolled her eyes.

"Alright dear uncle, then leave and I'll lock up behind you. But I have to do it now." She complained. Filch rushed out of the office, locking the door behind him, but it was okay because Marietta had her own key. Marietta moved the chair that was in front of Filche's desk to the other side of the small office. She then used her wand to magically lift a part of the floor up, and reveal a casket in the floor. She smiled and opened it. What it contained had started to rot, so she flicked her wand, and shouted a preserving incantation, that repaired damage from decay.

"Good as new. Hopefully we will not need to use you, but just in case, we need to keep you fresh." She said closing the casket, and putting the piece of floor, and the chair in place. Marietta walked out the door, and locked up. She started toward the Ravenclaw tower when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Marietta, Marietta Edgencombe! What's in it? What's in the room?" The voice of the Gray Lady of Ravenclaw whispered. Marietta looked back at her, and gave a discussed grunt.

"Mind your own bloody business." She said annoyed, and walked off to the tower.

**Breakfast in the Great Hall: **

Cho walked into the Great Hall with her head hung low. She was miserable in every aspect of the word, but she had things to do today. Chief amongst them was talk to professor Penfield, about using her laboratory after regular classes to try and mix a cure for her mother's ailment. Another was to ask Harry Potter to Hogsmead. She didn't want to be the one to ask, as it was traditionally the guy who asked the girl, and the reverse might make her look too desperate. But what was she thinking about. It was obvious that he was going there with his girlfriend Hermione Granger. Still Cho had to ask, some masochistic force seemed to be leading her to such a fate, she thought. As Cho walked toward her usual place at the Ravenclaw table, flanked by the Gryffindor table on the other side, she passed by Lori Sanchez, who made a "Meow!" sound as Cho passed. Cho stopped, and felt as if hit in the heart by a bludger. She pressed on past Lori toward her seat. As she passed Marietta, and Daniel they made the same cat noise at her, and she fought back tears as she sat next to Luna, and Nancy. Cho was in no mood to talk, and could only manage a weak "hi!" when her friends greeted her. Cho then looked over to the Masters table to Professor Penfield, busy with her own meal. As soon as the food appeared on her table, Cho ate very quickly. Nancy, Beverly, and Luna looked at her with concern.

"Umm, long time no see Cho. I guess you being back here mean you're caught up with your lessons. Right?" Beverly asked.

"No, I just um, I got tired of the library. I'm going to study somewhere else from now on. I just need some place new." Cho said in a barley audible voice. Then continued to quickly eat her food. Everyone could easily tell that something was not right with Cho, and it made them all uneasy.

"Cho, what's wrong? Did something happen to you? You seem so distant." Luna said softly. Cho shook her head.

"No. I'm okay. I just… I'm just tired." Cho said. Nancy put a hand on her shoulder.

"Look Cho, we're your friends. We can tell when something's wrong, if you don't want to talk about it now, we understand, but just know that like you've always been there for us, were here for you, okay?" Nancy said in a comforting tone. "But Cho. Would you please at least eat lunch and breakfast with us from now on? I mean, we can help you with your work after class." Everyone nodded agreement. Cho nodded, but didn't know herself if she meant it. Cho remembered Marietta's threat about her friends being next. Would they really do it? Cho thought that they must be empty threats, and that they were only after her. But Cho would keep a close vigil on her friends to protect them just in case. The more she was with them, the more she could protect them. She was the target for Marietta's abuse; Marietta had no reason to attack her friends, so she didn't need to tell them about her threats just now. Besides she didn't want to tell them about what else went on in the library. She didn't want the attention. Better to keep it inside for now. Cho looked over at the Gryffindor table at Harry. He was busy chatting with Ron Weasley, the boy that Luna liked. Cho had to go over and ask Harry out. She slowly walked over to Harry at the Gryffindor table, her knees jello, but she had to ask him anyway. She walked up to him, short of breath.

"Umm. Harry, could I have a word with you please?" She asked nervously. Harry looked up at her and frowned unintentionally. Cho had made her beautiful strait black hair brown and added curls. She still looked beautiful, but he instantly missed her hair the way it was.

"Oh! Err Cho, you um Changed your hair, what's up?" Harry asked. Cho looked around at the other Gryffindor students nervously.

"Umm, yea, well I wanted to go with something different. Uh, can I speak to you in private please Harry?" Cho pleaded. Harry nodded, and got up from the table. The two walked over to a part of the hall near the masters table where no one was. Harry looked at Cho's beautiful olive complection skin, and enchanting almond shaped eyes. His heart skipped a beat, at the vision of her beauty, and even though she looked so sad, even that had a beauty all its own.

"Soooo what's up Cho, why the new look?" Harry asked. Cho felt suddenly very self conscious.

"Do… do you like it? Umm, I was just trying something new." She said.

"Err, yea, it umm… looks great." Harry said. It wasn't a lie, she looked absolutely beautiful. But he really did miss her strait, black hair. Cho smiled shyly.

"Thank you Harry. Umm, Harry… I, I'm sorry to ask you, but… would you go out with me to Hogsmead?" Cho asked, her voice slightly shaking. Harry was stunned. Every instinct told him to say yes, something in his heart told him that he needed to get back with Cho, despite his past with her. But wasn't some of his past with her good in some ways? She stood up for him when almost no one else would. She was always nice to him; she supported Diggory, in the Tri Wizard Tournament, but never wore a Potter Stinks button. But still Harry had already asked Fiona out, and she seemed to be popular in her own right. Just like Cho, Fiona, seemed to have a lot of friends hanging around her as well. Harry was reluctant to hook up with Cho, because she was always depressed, and seemed to cry a lot. That's why he wanted only to be friends with her. But why was he having these feelings now. It was confusing. He looked down at Cho, who was standing in nervous anticipation. He swallowed nervously.

"Cho… I um… I already have a date. Umm… I did tell you that I just wanted to be friends." Harry said.

"Oh… right. Umm… I'm sorry, I forgot. Um okay I got to go." She said in a monotone voice. Just checking…" she said nervously backing away from him. Harry genuinely regretted asking Fiona out at this moment. He could tell that Cho was really hurt.

"Are you okay Cho?" Harry asked. Cho smiled and nodded, still backing away.

"Oh yes, absolutely Harry. I just have a lot of studying today. And I have to go to see um somebody. I have to… well I'll see you later Harry, um. Bye." Cho said, and turned and walked down the Great Hall. As she passed Marietta Edgencombe, she saw her smiling at her. Marietta was waving her wand in a small circular motion as three Knuts moved up and down banging on a pot, while Danielle sat beside her singing "ching, chong, Chang, in a girlish voice." Cho sped up her pace as her eyes started to water.


	34. Chapter 34

Quillian: Hello again, and thanks for posting:) Semis is actually human, but sometimes Marietta has a habit of calling her shapes-shifter boyfriend by the name of the person who's form he takes, so as not to blow their cover. Imagine if he took the form of professor Snape and Marietta called him by her pet name "love" when other students were around. It would raise questions, like "Is Professor Snape having an inappropriate relationship with a student?" Anyway the real Semis Finnigan is under the castle grounds in a dungeon tomb.

Froggie2: Thanks, I really loved that review;) It was cute. More like that:) But the school year has just begun!

EnlightenedKing: Hi. Well he's not a vampire actually, but a shape-shifter. That there are bigger fish to fry is the exact reason that Marietta has gotten this far. Dumbledore spends a lot of time in Europe with most of the order looking for Voldermort, and his Death Eaters. So they have to be away from the school for a while. Yes about Marietta and the vampire attack, very good observation, but remember that the shape-shifter is not a vampire. The shape shifter has been coaching Marietta in her prejudice with insulting terms for Asians, but she already has the hate for hating people who are different, the shape shifter only gives her the terms. The shape shifter wants Marietta to succeed because it will cause Chaos in the magic world. I had at onetime toyed with making him immortal, but I didn't want to make him more powerful than Voldermort. I do want to bring Dumbledore into the story soon, but not to talk to Harry. I'm thinking of some ideas, but nothing concrete just yet, but not for talking to Harry. I never thought that you were flaming me:) Thanks for a great review post, and correcting me about who knew about you-know-who;)

Okay, I guess that I was mistaken about how many people knew that Voldermort was a half blood, but I do remember that Draco said that Cedric was the first mudblood to die, so I feel comfortable about having him, and Marietta be prejudice against half-bloods (You-Know-Who) excluded of coarse. So I'm going to go ahead with that. Since Death Eaters and the Order members are so secretive, I think that they will not spread it around. Oh! If I can post this link than you have to go to this sight. Very sad. But you have to see it. Get ready to cry!

http/media.putfile. com /Goodbye-My-Lover76

Well here is chapter 34. **Chapter 34! What am I doing? **Sorry… I just snapped. Well here goes some action stuff, and sad stuff, and the Harry not taking the advice from Hamlet stuff.

"This above all, to thine own self be true." The Queen. I hope everyone likes it. Fingers crossed for luck.;)

**Chapter 34: The Jinxing Torso**

**Cho's POV:**

Cho stood in the doorway of the Potions classroom listening to Professor Pinefield finish up with her students. When the bell had rang, everyone clamored to get out of the class and head to the next one. Cho walked in and nervously approached the professor, who looked up in surprise.

"Can I help you Miss…?" the Professor asked politely. Cho looked up at her.

"Um, hello Professor Pinefield, My name is Cho Chang. I had a favor I needed to ask you. Umm… well, you see I was wondering if I could do some work here after your last class using the Jinxing torso. I would be real quite, and not get in the way. I need to do some extra credit work for… um Defense against Dark Arts class, and… well Professor Snape doesn't have a Jinxing torso. So I needed to use the Potions class one… if I may." Cho said quietly. Professor Pinefield looked at her with curiosity.

"You want to use the Jinxing torso? Why doesn't Professor Snape have everyone doing the assignment?" Professor Pinefield asked. Cho thought for an excuse.

"Oh well, I'm behind, and well I need to catch up. He thought that I could practice by myself on the Jinxing torso. I mean if it was okay with you." Cho lied. Professor Pinefield looked at Cho suspiciously for a minute.

"And do you have a note Miss Chang?" the Professor asked. Cho fumbled for the non existent note for a few minutes, and then looked up at the Professor.

"Well I guess that I misplaced it, but I can go back and get it if…" Cho started.

"No need Miss Chang, I believe you. I recognize you from the great Hall. Professor Flitwick pointed you out when we were discussing his best students. Of course he said that you had some problems over the last couple of years, and your marks fell drastically. I have a few more classes today, but come after your last class is over, as I usually stay after about an hour correcting papers, and updating files." Professor Pinefield pointed to a large stack of papers that almost reached the ceiling.

"Professor Snape had his own system for keeping important files. I wish that I had some way of sorting out files, and being able to bring them up and correcting them very quickly." Professor Pinefield said.

"You need a computer." Cho said pleasantly. Professor Pinefield looked at her blankly.

"What's a computer?" she asked.

"It's a muggle device that makes things a lot easier. But there is too much magic at Hogwarts to use it." Cho said casually. Professor Pinefield gave a light laugh.

"I don't think that we have any reason to use Muggle devices. We need not learn anything from them." The Professor said. Cho frowned.

"Actually I have muggle friends and family, and I think that we could learn a lot from them." Cho said a little defensively. The Professor smiled at her.

"That didn't exactly come out the way that I had intended, I didn't mean to offend you Miss Chang. You can come back in a couple of hours, and I'll have the Jinxing torso out for you." She smiled. Cho returned the smile, thanked her sincerely, and left to her charms class that she would be late for. But it didn't matter, she would be able to use the Jinxing torso to try and find a cure for breast cancer, and she would be able to save her mother and so many other people. When she found the cure than she would share it freely with the world and no one, Muggle, or Wizard, would have to suffer such tremendous torment again.

**Harry's POV: **

Harry was having another bad day. He had been looking forward to Defense against Dark Arts Class all day thinking that he would be dueling with Draco Malfoy, but when he got to the pitch he found that it would be against the sixth years of Huffelpuff. Snape had said that he did it to give the Hufflepuffs experience fighting a skilled dueler, but Harry believed that Snape knew about the problems he had with that house, and wanted to further the animosity between them. At first like the day before Snape had random Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs square off. It wasn't much of a fight, so far, if it had been a match by points for each duel won Huffelpuff would be at three, and Gryffindor seventeen. Huffelpuff just wasn't a good house for accomplishment. Cedric Diggory was a bright light in an otherwise unsuccessful House. Harry had just been called up to the center of the Pitch after Semis was discovered missing for the second time in as many days. This time it had cost Gryffindor forty points, because Snape had talked to Madam Pomfrey, and Semis never went to see her. Snape was aggravated that a second day had gone bye and Semis had still not showed up. Harry stood ready for Snape to call his opponent.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley!" Snape called. Justin walked up and stood opposite of Harry. He had attended Harry's DA classes the year before, but now looked at Harry with an angry scowl. Harry was worried that he had lost some friends in Huffelpuff after the incident, and now he felt that Justin was among those who didn't believe him. Harry bowed at Snape's command, and wondered if he should let the Hufflepuff win. Maybe it would ease the tension of the Hufflepuffs if Harry took a fall. Okay Harry thought, I can afford to lose just this once. Just for the sake of the Hufflepuffs getting some satisfaction, and finally putting this all behind us. Snape stood up and shouted the countdown.

"Five… four… three… two… one, **_Go_**!" Snape screamed. Harry hesitated saying an incantation as he brought his wand up and Justin shouted a boil curse that missed Harry by millimeters. Harry fired back an Incendio curse, intending to miss, but Justin in trying to avoid where he thought Harry was going to fire stepped right into the incendiary charm that Harry had let lose, and was in turn hit with a blast of fire in his eyes that had him screaming, and crying in pain. Two Hufflepuff's walked the crying, blinded Justin over to the medical tent where Madam Pomfrey awaited him. Harry shook his head at his bad luck and began to step out of the center of the pitch.

"Where do you think your going Mr. Potter? I'll decide when you step down. Now prepare yourself for the next duel." Snap said in a rude tone. Harry looked at him with a mixture of anger, and frustration.

"Oh come on Professor, why do I have to go again. There are eight other students that have not gone yet." Harry complained. "Why don't you let them go now?" Harry asked. Snape gave him a hateful look, and told him rudely not to tell him how to run his class. Snape then called Susan Bones to the center and instructed the two of them to bow for the duel. They did and Susan gave Harry a friendly smile. Harry returned it and they prepared for the signal from Snape. Harry decided to go with an _airburst charm_, and say it slower so that Susan would be able to sound her off first. Snape counted down and screamed **_"Go!" _**Harry paused for a second and started to say airis concussionist, slowly to let Susan hit him, but Susan stammered to change spells in mid incantation, changing her mind which one to use. The hesitation caused Harry's spell to finish and Susan was blown off her feet by a strong burst of air, which hit her with such force that it knocked her back slamming into a crowd of her fellow Hufflepuffs, sending a couple of more people to the medical tent. She was taken to the medical tent clutching her stomach. "Damit!" Harry thought. It's hard to lose to a Huffelpuff. Harry knew that Snape was enjoying this, and wouldn't let Harry off until he had dispatched a few more Hufflepuffs, and become even more unpopular in the Huffelpuff house.

"Emit Walsh!" Snape shouted, and a very pissed off looking Walsh stepped on the mat facing Harry. When the two bowed, Emit gave the excessive bare minimum bow required. "Well this is it!" Harry thought nervously. If I let Emit hit me with something than Hufflepuff's revenge will be satisfied, and so will Emits. Harry readied himself, and Snape gave the countdown.

"Five… four… three… two… one, **_Go!" _**Snape shouted. Harry raised his wand but gave no incantation. Emit Walsh gave a mutation spell that caused Harry's entire face to move to the opposite side of his head. It was not painful but disorientating and Harry tilted his head back, now found himself looking down at his arse. He was ready to go to the medical tent when Walsh zapped a crate that someone had brought to sit on, and transfigured it into a bludger. Walsh sent it flying into the air with a levitation charm, causing the person who had been sitting on it to fall over. Before Ron and Hermione could get to Harry to take him to the medical tent Walsh sent the bludger crashing into Harry's back with blunt force, knocking his wand clear of him. Harry was knocked backwards, and since his face was now on the back of his head it slammed into the mats, busting his lower lip. Walsh continued quickly with a twisting charm that painfully coiled Harry's legs like a cinnamon twist. Harry started crying in agony from the pain as Walsh smiled at his work.

"Fell good Potter? How do you think that Cindy Miggins felt when you knocked her off her broom? I'm going to show you how it feels, you evil bastard!" Walsh yelled. He used a levitation charm to raise Harry about two hundred feet, ready to drop him. Hermione looked at Professor Snape.

"Aren't you going to stop him?" She asked. Snape gave her a scathing look, and continued to watch the match before him.

"Now you're going to feel some pain Potter! Now your going to suffer like my friend is in St. Mungoes. She's still in a coma, and they don't know if she'll get better or not. So now you're going to pay!" Walsh said as he used his wand to spin Harry around, making him dizzier.

"Walsh, you have to believe me, it wasn't me. It was Draco Malfoy! He was using Polly-Juice potion to imitate me. He used an invisibility cloak to hid my body! That's why I was in my school uniform so fast. Because I never went to the field that day. I know it was him." Harry said becoming nauseous from the spinning.

"**_Lire!" Walsh yelled. "You just wanted to take as many of our players out as possible so you could get the cup!"_** Walsh shouted.

"Damit Walsh, you're the worst team at Hogwarts! Why would I have to do that? You never win! I'm telling you it was Draco Malfoy using Polly-Juice potion, and an invisibility cloak. You have to believe me." Harry said. Walsh was angered at the remark about his team, and dropped his memory charm causing Harry to freefall to the ground. Suddenly Snape yelled out a cushioning charm of his own, and Harry landed softly on a yellowish charm a few inched above the grass. Snape walked over to Harry and cast a spell untwisting his legs. He looked at Ron and Hermione, and instructed them to take him to the medical tent to have Madam Pomfrey finish removing the rest of the jinx, and to have Harry report to his office as soon as it was done. Snap looked around at the students; some of the Gryffindors were in a shouting match with the Hufflepuffs about what had happened at the Quidditch match and what had just happened now. Many of the Gryffindors claiming that it was a cruel thing for Walsh to do, and many of the Hufflepuffs saying that Harry only got what was coming to him. It seemed a fight between the two houses was escalating when Snape yelled at everyone to shut up. He dismissed the Gryffindors first to leave class early, and go to their dormitories. When the Gryffindors had reached the castle entrance he then released the Hufflepuffs.

"Not you Mr. Walsh." Snape said in an authoritive tone. "You're coming with me to my office, and you're going to tell me in great detail everything that happened at that Quidditch Match." Snape said.

Harry's face slowly moved over to the front of his body, and settled in it's proper place. "There you go Mr. Potter, good as new, though you might be a bit dizzy from the experience for a while." Madam Pomfrey said.

"Thank you Miss." Harry said grateful. Hermione helped him sat up, and he looked at Ron who was feverously writing on some parchment with his quill. "What are you writing Ron?" he asked. Ron looked up from his work.

"I'm writing up Walsh. He's going to spend the rest of the year in detention after Dumbledore sees this. I mean we can't depend on Snape to notify him." Ron said angrily. Just then Justin Finch-Fletchley walked bye wearing shades and being guided by another Huffelpuff boy out of the tent.

"Finch-Fletchley… I'm sorry about what happened. Really." Harry said apologetically. The two didn't stop as Justin told Harry to piss off and tell that to Cindy Miggins. Soon Susan Bones walked up to Harry, having woken up from being knocked out. Harry also made an apology to her as well. She gave him a pat on the back and told him that there were no hard feelings, and that whatever happened at the pitch he was still the boy who lived. She also reminded him that he needn't apologize for zapping her, because it was a fair duel. She was then on her way out of the tent after Harry thanked her for her understanding. Harry looked back at Ron who was still busy writing Walsh up.

"Umm look Ron… if it's all the same to you, I'd rather let this one go. I mean… now Walsh has had his revenge I don't think that he'll do anything like that again, and if he tries I'll take care of it. Really I just think the Hufflepuffs that are against me will be satisfied now." Harry said. Ron looked up at him with surprise.

"Harry, Walsh basically tried to kill you. He needs to answer for it. He was way out of line." Ron stated.

"Look, I went to see Cindy Miggins the other day and… well she looked real bad. I just understand how Walsh was felling, and it was obvious that they were close. I just want to put it behind me, okay?" Harry finished. Ron gave a large sigh.

"Okay Harry, but I'll be watching him from now on. If he tries anything else than I'll zap him with the same thing he hit you with. Harry nodded.

"Fair enough. Now I've got to go to Snape's office for something. What I have no idea. Harry stood up and walked out of the tent, telling Ron and Hermione that he would see them in the Great Hall.

Harry sat in Snape's office waiting for the Professor to return. It had been ten minutes since Snape had told him to wait there. Finally Snape returned with an arm full of potions bottles, and sat them up on his desk. He looked at Harry with deep anger.

"Mr. Potter. Do you have any idea the seriousness of accusing another student of a crime without proof?" Snape said coldly. Harry nodded. "And do you know that you could be punished severely for making such false accusations?" Snape continued.

"Yes sir." Harry said.

"Then let me explain this too you Mr. Potter. You have accused a student in my house of impersonating you and attacking students on the Quidditch Pitch and hiding your body with an invisibility cloak. What proof do you have?" Snape continued. Harry though for a minute. What proof indeed. He looked up at Professor Snape.

"Well… Malfoy's had it in for me since I got to this school, and he has been harassing me every year." Harry said.

"Really Mr. Potter and that makes him guilty of impersonating you?" Snape asked.

"Well it proves that he had motive!" Harry said. Snape looked down at Harry with disgust.

"And I suppose that Motive is the only proof you need to convict someone?" Snape asked casually.

"Well… no but…" Harry stammered out, starting to lose his confidence.

"Mr. Potter, perhaps it might interest you to know that an invisibility cloak is not only very expensive, but that they are also very rare. Now does that sound like something that Draco Malfoy would have ready access to?" Snape asked.

"He's rich, and his father is a Death Eater. So yes. They would have the means to buy one, and they would have connections in the black market. I could see them getting their hands on an invisibility cloak." Harry stated. Snape smiled.

"Really Mr. Potter, Luscious Malfoy has not yet been brought to trial, and I would thank you not to convict a man until he's had his day in court." Snape said. Harry was getting frustrated at Snape. He was an order member, and he knew that Lucius was a Death Eater.

"I fought him at the Ministry of Magic last year. I know he was there. I can prove it." Harry said. Snape gave a small chuckle.

"Mr. Potter, no one is debating weather he was there or not. He says that someone put him under the imperious curse, and he had no control over his actions." Snape finished.

"Rubbish." Harry said. "He knew exactly what he was doing." Harry said.

"Well Mr. Potter, that's for other people to decide, not you. Now what can you tell me about these?" Snape asked as he pushed the bottles of potions on his desk toward Harry. Harry looked at them, as Snape named them off, and he recognized them as the ingreedance for making Polly-juice potion. Harry told Professor Snape as much. Snape pushed another bottle forward and said that it was the entire ready made Polly-Juice potion in Hogwarts. Snape gave Harry another cold look.

Now Mr. Potter, do you know what's missing from here?" Snape asked.

"No sir." Harry said.

"Nothing is missing from any of these bottles Mr. Potter. Nothing. I think that the papers may have been right about you last year, you're violent and delusional. Oh understand, I do what Dumbledore tells me, but I just want you to be clear on my personal opinion. And I talked to Emit Walsh; don't think that I alone have that view. Now go, and don't accuse my students of things you have no proof of, and don't try to pass the blame for your own violence onto my students either. Especially Draco Malfoy. He has enough on his mind without having to deal with you." Snape finished. Harry was outraged, he balled up his fist, but Snape was right. He had no proof… yet. Harry walked out of Snape's office wondering if Snape might be helping Draco, and wondering why Dumbledore trusted such a horrible person to be in the Order.

**_Cho's POV:_**

Cho Chang held one end of the Jinxing torso while Miss Pinefield held the other, and they both carried it over to the long table that had been sat aside for it's use. With effort they laid it in the center chest up. Cho looked it over once it was in place. The Jinxing Torso was a device used in magical classes to test potions. It functioned as a training tool in much the way the training dummies served as instruction devices at the muggle hospital that Cho had worked at. But this dummy was different. It was an exact replica of a male human torso from the waste up to the neck. The skin felt just like real human flesh, and it had exact copies of human organs. The torso had been created using numerous charms to allow students, and teachers to test the effects of potions, hexes, and jinxes on the human body without actually using one. The torso could breathe with actually lungs, and blood was pumped around inside and vital organs large and small functioned as if in a real body. Students in potions class used several finished mixtures on it to test how accurate their work had been, and at the end of a day on which it was used, the effects would be erased. But it was still an unfeeling inanimate object, and Cho was glad because she was going to test some potions that she had made to try and cure her mother's breast cancer. Cho had been able to make a few copies of cancer cells during a lunch hour that she had spent in the class. Now she was going to infect the torso and then try and cure it of its ills. She carefully applied some of the cancer cells, and let them sink into the torso, as everything did. Then Cho added some growth potion, and the cancer cells multiplied and settled in the chest of the torso. Because it was a magical learning tool the infected area glowed green so that Cho could see where she needed to apply the healing potion. Cho started with one that she had made from silver-weed and dragon scaled matched with some other minor ingrediance. The green glow recoiled at the effect of the potion sinking into the torso, but then expanded to its original size, covering the full chest area. Cho was not deterred, and tried another potion of beetle eyes, and lizard tails, and vicious oak sap along with some other odds and ends. The same result occurred and Cho started mixing another potion. Before long, Professor Pinefield started asking Cho if she was about finished, as she needed to close up for dinner. Cho continued to request five more minutes until the Professor could wait no longer. Cho begged more time, but the Professor would not hear of it, and almost had to push Cho out the door. She walked back towards the Ravenclaw dorm with an ever constant frown on her face. Suddenly in an otherwise empty hall she saw Harry and Ron walk toward her.

"Um, hello Cho, how are you felling? Harry asked, feeling uneasy about the events earlier in the great hall.

"Oh, I'm fine Harry, Mr. Weasley, How are you two." she said pulling off a false smile with all her effort. They both replied that they were well.

"Um, great, well Harry… did ya find out anything else about the match the other day?" Cho asked. Harry looked around to make sure that they were alone, and leaned toward Cho.

"I'm sure that it was Draco Malfoy impersonating me. I don't have the proof, but I'm sure that it wasn't really me at that match, not even under the imperious curse. I had a dream about the match, and it felt _so real_. I remembered everything about it. I remembered that the person who impersonated me, used my Quidditch uniform, and kept the real me hidden under an invisibility cloak. Now those are really hard to come bye. Draco has motive, and his family has money, and his father is a Death Eater. Also he's had it in for me for years. I know he did it. In my dream he used a spell to open the wall after he shed my Quidditch uniform that he was wearing. I was unconscious and still in my school uniform when my teammates found me. So I know that it was someone impersonating me, and not my body being used for the purpose." Harry stated. Cho could feel his hot breath on her face as he spoke and wanted to faint from the good feeling inside her. She took in every word but was dizzy. She looked up at him again with a sad face, and tried to stammer out the next words.

"Um, Harry… the thing is… you really don't remember what the other person did while they are impersonating you. I mean you're not supposed to remember anything if someone impersonates you using Polly-Juice potion." Cho said quietly. Harry was taken aback.

"How do you know that?" Harry asked innocently. Cho frowned.

"I just… I read about it. I read about the effects of it on people. It will be in your advanced potions book this year. But they didn't go over the chapter in my class last year, I just read it anyway. I think it was chapter thirty one." Cho said.

"Then how else could Malfoy have done it Cho?" Harry asked.

"I don't know Harry, but… he may have still used it, but maybe your dream was just a coincidence. Or maybe you have some special ability to know about someone taking control of your body, or mind." Cho finished. Harry pondered the idea for a minute. No, the Occlumey lessons with Snape were a total disaster last year, or had they been? In any event weather he was supposed to remember or not, he did, and even if there were no potions missing, he was sure that Draco must have gotten hold of some. He just had to find a way to prove it.

"Cho, um I was hoping that you and Hermione, and Luna could meet in the library tomorrow to try and find something out." Harry said. Cho's olive complection turned pale, and her mouth dropped open.

"Um, Harry can it be somewhere else? I mean I can't go to the library for lunch. What about by the lake, or the courtyard. Please Harry." Cho begged. Harry was taken aback by her attitude.

"Well Cho, I mean there are no books in the courtyard, or by the lake. That's what we need to study, and I've to put a new priority on getting some evidence on Malfoy. Cho thought hard for an alternative. She looked back up at Harry.

"Well what about the room of requirement?" Cho asked. I mean if we need specific books they will be more available there, and we won't have to search through so many others because the ones we need only. Cho said. Ron nodded his head in agreement.

"She's got a point there mate, less looking around, and no librarian looking over our shoulder." Ron said. Harry nodded his agreement.

"Alright, the Room of requirement it is. But why the wish to avoid the library Cho?" Harry asked curious. "I mean you're always there.

"I, I know, umm that's just it, I've really gotten tired of it. Please understand." Cho pleaded. Harry nodded. He was looking into Cho's sad eyes again, and dreaming about her warm, soft touch, wishing that Ron was not with them at the moment, and that he had not asked Fiona out to Hogsmead, and wishing that just now he could sort out why he was feeling that he wished that they were the only two people in the world. Harry smiled at Cho and everyone said they're goodbyes, going separate directions. Suddenly Cho had a horrible thought about the fact that You-Know-Who was still out there, and that he had tried to kill Harry many times. She looked back at Harry horrified at the thought of something happening to him. She became short of breath, and ran up to him.

"Harry! Harry wait." Cho shouted. Harry turned to look at her.

"What's wrong Cho?" Harry asked. Cho looked up at him with a look of fear, and asked if what the papers said were true. Harry nodded, but said that Voldermort was still out there. Cho asked if Voldermort was still after Harry for defeating him. Harry replied that he was, but that as long as he remained in Hogwarts that he was safe. Cho hugged Harry in a tight tearful embrace, and didn't let go for several minutes. When she finally did she looked up at him once more.

"Be careful Harry, please be careful." Cho begged. She wiped her face, grabbed her books, and ran down the hall as quickly as possible. Harry stood there watching her disappear around the corner. Ron looked at him curiously.

"Well mate, what's the story with you and Cho?" Ron asked. Harry turned to him with a sad face.

"Just friends." he said softly. Ron gave a smirk.

"You sure Harry? Because she seems to think of you as more than that." Ron said. Harry gave a sigh.

"Well, that what I think of her as, just a friend." Harry said.

"Than what's with the tear Harry?" Ron asked.

"She was crying when she hugged me Ron, she's always crying." Harry said sadly.

"Fine, but when she did, her face was on the left side of yours." Ron said.

"So?" Harry said confused.

"So what about the tear on the right side of your face?" Ron asked. Harry wiped his hand carefully over his cheek and looked at the small, salty drop of moister in his hand. He stared at it for a moment. Ron patted him on the back.

"You need a moment to yourself Harry; I'll be in the great Hall." Ron said, and left Harry to reflect alone, still looking at the testament of his lie to himself about how he really felt about the girl whom he had just held in his arms in a moment that he never wanted to end.


	35. Chapter 35

Quillian: Thank you for the review:)

Froggie2: Yes, but so far time is working against Cho in many things. Harry lives near a river in Egypt, it's called DeNile;) Love the review, thanks for getting so caught up in it.

EnlightenedKing: Yes, it takes more than one incident to turn everyone against **_The Boy Who Lived,_** but Marietta is not through yet, and not alone. How soon some people forget, but Justin is really pissed about Cindy Miggins. Also he thinks that Harry burned him on purpose. I certainly don't plan to make Marietta the main character of the story, but her POV is important because it's a look into the mind of evil. Well, Harry may be a bit of an arse later, but it will not be entirely his fault, and also He will be the hero in the end. I mean he's Harry Potter. The last Chapter was still the second week of school. For this one I have skipped ahead a few weeks. Thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.:)

Summet: Thanks for the glowing review. Wow everyone's playing hockey! I had no idea it was so popular. I hope you enjoy this chapter.:)

Voldie's Demise: A beta reader is working on chapter 8 and will soon have it posted with corrections, I will post new chapters with priority on getting them up, but the beta reader will eventually catch up to me, and eventually all chapters will be beta-read before posting. Crumpled Horned Snorack is something that Luna Lovegood said that she and her father were looking for in the end of OOTP.:)

youngbull68: Thanks for the post. Man I hope that I get around to finishing it soon too. Sorry it's so long, but I'm glad that you like it. Anything in particular that you liked:)

Salazar-Reaper: Okay I'll answer your second concern first. The fic is now in the process of being beta read, so it's only a matter of time before the whole thing is fixed. I'm sorry about misspelled character names until then, but corrections are on the way. I will answer your second concern in a statement just before the chapter begins, so that you will know my mind, and Marietta's on this.:)

SolidSnake19: Thanks for the complement, and interest in my story. The grammar will be fixed as it's being beta read from chapter eight up, so soon all will be corrected. You don't sound rude, so no prob. I hope you like this next chapter, but it's not the best, I'll try to make the next one better. Thanks for posting.:)

Okay, back again everyone. I'd like to thank everyone for posting your comments. You all inspire me not to quit until I finish the story. Now there is still some confusion as to what constitutes a "Mudblood" so I want to clear that up now. I think where I get a big part of half-bloods being considered mudbloods is from the ending of the GOF book where Draco expressed hatred towards Diggory, saying something to the effect of, how Harry Potter was the first mudblood to die, well actually Diggory was the first, ect. Now I'm sure that I remember both of Cedric's parents begin wizarding people, so I was lead to believe that Draco's prejudice included half-bloods. But it was in the book, going back on the train. Anyway I also took something from the Nazi's in the regard of what is a prejudice attitude on race. For example, someone who was Jewish in Germany in the 1930's was considered inferior. Someone who was half Jewish was also considered inferior, and a quarter Jewish, ect. Maybe you could say that some magic world bigots were worse than others. But that's kind of the mind of Marietta; people who are not 100 pure are mudbloods, and inferior. So in Marietta's mind, Harry is a mudblood. Anyway I know that there may be some more spelling errors in this chapter, but soon all will be fixed. I hope everyone enjoys this, take care, and see all of you next time.:D

**Chapter 35: The Third Bewitched Room.**

**_The Room of Requirement:_**

Hermione stood up and went through the names of the Slytherins that she had interviewed written on the black board again. She was speaking to Luna, Harry, Ron and Cho, and explaining that she had interviewed several people about the whereabouts of Draco Malfoy during the time period, that Harry was at the pitch, and none of the Slytherins that she had spoken too had seen him during the last period of class. "Of coarse that's only the ones that would speak to me, and Harry. If it were not for his popularity I don't think that any of them would have listened to me. But with the help of Fiona Shaw I got in a few interviews. She was able to convince them that Harry was a hero, and popular, and that they should cooperate if they didn't want to be outcast of the school. But no one seemed to know where he was at the time, or where he was for a while. So we're trying to find some clues as to what he has been up too. I think that Harry is right and that it's definitely Draco behind this whole thing. After all, just like Harry said, he has connections, motive, and money to have an invisibility cloak, and a mind for trouble." Hermione said, wrapping up her findings. "Cho, did you have any ideas since our last meeting?" Hermione asked. "Cho?" Cho was sitting on the opposite side of the table, arms, propping up her head. She had deep circles under her eyes, and seemed to be staring right through Hermione. Luna waved her hand in front of Cho's eyes without result. Finally Luna started to shake Cho violently, and she came out of her stupor.

"Huh? What's going on?" Cho asked sleepily, dark circles under her bloodshot eyes.

"Cho, you feel asleep again, and we needed to know what you did about finding out about Draco's whereabouts, and proof that he's behind this." Luna said.

"Oh, sorry. Well last meeting Harry had recounted how that Barney Crouch Jr. guy had used Polly-Juice potion to impersonate Mad-Eye Moody. Harry had mentioned to me that Moaning Myrtle had found some traces of Polly-Juice Potion in the water pipes of the school, so I asked her to look through the pipes for new traces of it, or anything suspicious. She only agreed after I had told her it was for Harry and… **_YAHN!"_** Cho stopped and yawned in mid sentence, and looked around the room apologetically. "I'm sorry guys; I'm just a little tired. I just need some sleep." She said rubbing her eyes. Hermione nodded.

"Well I think that we've accomplished everything that we could from this meeting, we'll meet back in a few weeks, unless we find something sooner." Hermione said. Everyone started to get up to leave. Harry walked up to Cho who was excessively dragging, and seemed to be in a daze. He grabbed her arm.

"Cho, are you okay? Is there something wrong?" Harry asked. Cho looked up at him with bloodshot, sleepy eyes that had dark circles under them and gave a weak smile.

"I'm fine Harry; I just need to go sleep now." Cho said. Harry looked at her with surprise.

"But Cho, it's only lunch time; what about you're other classes?" Harry asked. The smile faded from Cho's face.

"I… I'll just have to miss them. Beverly Jones can bring the assignments too me." Cho said, having trouble keeping her eyes open. Harry nodded and she began to walk away. Hermione was in the doorway with a smile.

"Cho, can I ask you a question?" Hermione asked. Cho was tired, and didn't want to answer any questions, but she nodded her head anyway and waited. Hermione looked uncomfortable. "Um, well I thought that the other day when you walked in the great hall that a couple of the people from my table were making cat sounds at you. Are some of our lot bothering you?" Hermione asked concerned. Cho lowered her head for a moment, before she answered. She looked up and told Hermione that no one was, and that they were probably not making them towards her. Perhaps Hermione was just mistaken. "Alright Cho, well um just checking. You can come to me if any of us is bothering you though, okay?" Hermione asked. Cho nodded and thanked her. She left the room to head strait to the north tower, and bed.

Harry watched Cho leave very concerned. He turned to Ron and Hermione.

"I'm worried about her. She sleeps at every meal, right at the Ravenclaw table. I've seen her from across our table. She never goes to the library anymore, and she seems, well… to be avoiding me." Harry said.

"I know what you mean Harry, I've asked her to join my study group several times, but she seems to be avoiding me too. She always has an excuse, but I have the feeling that she prefers to spend time alone." Hermione finished. She looked at her watch. "Well we have to go to Harry; I'll see you in class. Luna, I'll see you at dinner. _Ron_…" Hermione finished saying the word Ron in an accusing tone. Hermione started out the door, and Ron followed a minute later, tired of the fights that they were having of late. Harry was about to leave as well.

"Harry, can I speak to you for a minute?" Luna asked, looking worried.

"Sure, what is it?" Harry asked. Luna looked down for a minute and then raised her head to look at Harry.

"Harry there _is _something wrong with Cho. She's going through a really hard time right now, and… I'm really worried about her. Cho was one of the few people in my house that have been nice to me." Luna said.

"Look Luna, if this is about Cedric, I really don't want to deal with that again this year. She'll just have to get over it. I mean you can't keep mourning a person for the rest of your life. She has to get over it Luna." Harry said.

"It's not about that Harry, it's about…" Luna stopped suddenly, and remained quite. Harry was intrigued.

"What is it about Luna?" Harry asked. Luna looked around the room, and then back at Harry.

"Harry, Cho… well I can't tell you what's exactly going on, but she… she has some other problems in her life, and they are serious. She, goes out of our tower every night after curfew, and doesn't tell anyone where she's going. She used to tell me everything, but lately she's starting to withdraw from everyone. Maybe you should start spending more time with her, and take her to Hogsmead. I mean she really needs you right now." Luna finished. Harry looked in deep thought.

"Look Luna, I already have a date to Hogsmead, and, well Cho and I have agreed to be just friends… last year it got complicated… she still cries all the time…" Harry stammered.

"She has reason to cry now more than ever Harry." Luna said in a sad tone. Harry looked at the serious expression on her face.

"What reason Luna?" Harry asked. Luna opened her mouth to speak, and looked as if she was about to tell Harry, but hesitated.

"Harry, Cho's family is very secretive when it comes to personal family maters. There not suppose to discuss serious family maters with anyone, but, Cho does with me sometimes. She's very fragile, and needs you now, even though she can't tell you the reason. Just please understand that she's going through a lot." Luna said with great concern. Harry looked back at her sadly.

"Look Luna, I want to help, but if she will not talk to me, I can't do much about it. I don't want to sound so cold, but I have problems of my own right now." Harry said. Luna nodded her head in understanding. She told Harry goodbye and they left for class.

**_Two weeks later: The Gryffindor Common room. _**

"Harry… Harry Potter… wake up Harry." The playful female voice squeaked. Harry slowly began to open his eyes. His blurry vision came into focus and he saw that Moaning Myrtle was hovering above him with a playful look on her face. Harry sat up quickly and looked down to make sure that the sheets were still covering him.

"Myrtle… what, what are you doing here?" Harry asked surprised.

"Tee hee hee, silly Harry, you invited me here, although I had a hard time finding which room you were in. I have some news that…" Myrtle began, but was cut off.

"Wait a minute! What do you mean I invited you here?" Harry said confused. Myrtle gave a giddy laugh.

"Ah, poor Harry, don't you remember? You sent Miss Chang to tell me that if I found anything suspicious that I should tell you or herself. Well here I am, and as you can see from the bruise on my forehead I found something." Myrtle said.

"What did you find Myrtle?" Harry asked, observing the bruise on her forehead with great interest. Myrtle smiled, and instructed Harry to follow her. Harry woke up Ron and the two grabbed Harry's invisibility cloak. Harry observed that Seamus was again not in his bed, and Harry and Ron moved out the common room and down the hall. Harry and Ron followed Myrtle carefully under the cloak past Filche's office which curiously no ghost had gathered at. Moaning Myrtle had moved ahead of Harry and Ron, and was beaconing them from afar to follow her. They stepped up their pace to catch up to her, and ran into something that knocked them over.

"Owww!" Cried the voice of a girl, and they heard something scampering down the corridor in the direction of the North Tower. Harry and Ron scampered to their feet, and followed the sound, but soon lost pace with it struggling to both stay under the invisibility cloak. Moaning Myrtle asked Harry what was keeping them so long when they finally caught up with her. Harry out of breath asked her if she had seen anyone run past her. Myrtle had said that she hadn't but had heard something scurry, bye. She thought that it may have been a mouse since she could not see anything. The three moved at a slower pace toward the school rooms by the North Tower. After a few minutes of walking they noticed a strange bluish glow coming out from under one of the classroom doors. Harry noticed that it was coming from the Potions classroom. Harry looked up at Moaning Myrtle, and asked if what she wanted to show them was in there. She shook her head, and the three put their ears to the door to listen in. They could hear someone making noise inside. Harry tried to pull open the door, and discovered it was locked. Harry then turned to Myrtle and rolled his eyes.

"Pssst, Myrtle! You're a ghost. You can just go through the wall." Harry said in a loud whisper. Myrtle stuck her hand through the wall to test it, and then stuck her head through to look around. After a few minutes she brought her head back out to report what she had seen.

"It's that Ravenclaw girl who's always crying. Cho… err something or other." Myrtle said. Harry's eyes went wide. There was only one Cho in Hogwarts, and only one Cho in the world that he had ever met.

"Cho Chang is on the other side of that door?" Harry asked. Myrtle nodded her head, and giggled.

"And it looks like she's giving a nasty spell on that jinxing torso too." Myrtle said. Harry held his wand to the door and shouted "Alohomora" spell to unlock the door. Harry opened it just enough to stick his head in, and saw a girl with her back to him, standing in front of the Potion's class Jinxing Torso, and several bottles of potions both of witch were on a table. The torso's chest was blackened with some strange curse, and the girl was pouring some strange potion over it. The blackened part of the torso began to lighten, and the girl gave out a gasp, and then as quickly the torso darkened again. Harry thought that he heard the girl crying just before she screamed and flung her arm across the table in frustration, sending several bottles crashing to the floor. The girl fell to her knees sobbing uncontrollably, and saying over and over again that it wasn't fair. Myrtle was looking in again. Ahh, the Gray Lady was telling me about this girl, she's the one who's been sleeping in class a lot lately, losing a lot of points for her house too. She's here a lot lately. She'll lose more if she's caught here." Myrtle said. Harry stood up, and wondered if Cho had gone over the edge. What could she possibly be doing here this late at night, jinxing a torso, and becoming completely irrational over it? Harry walked into the room.

"Umm, Cho… what's wrong. Harry asked. Cho looked up at him with utter shock on her face.

"**_Harry? What… what are ya doing here?"_** Cho asked nervously. Harry looked at the scared jinxing torso, and the broken bottles of potion on the floor, and then back at Cho.

"I was about to ask you the same question." Harry said, as Ron and Moaning Myrtle entered the room. Cho took out her wand and erased changes made to the torso. Harry looked at it, and then turned to Cho. "What are you doing with the torso Cho?" Harry asked. He could tell that she was fishing about for an answer, but Ron who was in the door shouted first.

"Everyone, Filch is coming!" We have to hide Harry and Ron got under the invisibility cloak and Harry motioned Cho to join them with one hand that was out from underneath it. Cho slid under it, and felt of it with her hand.

"You have an invisibility cloak?" she asked with wonder. "Where did you get it?" Cho asked. Harry put a hand over her mouth with one hand and put the forefinger of his other to his lips to instruct her to be silent. Filch walked in with his oil lamp held high and Miss Norris at his side to see moaning Myrtle sitting on a desk looking back at him. Filch glanced down at the potions on the floor, and then looked back at Myrtle.

"What the bloody hell is going on here? Who did this?" He asked. Myrtle looked around at the potions.

"Hummm, must have been Peeves." Myrtle said, conveniently blaming the poltergeist of Hogwarts who loved to cause chaos by turning over table and chairs, and the like. Filch frowned.

"I just dealt with him in another part of the castle. It couldn't have been him." Filch said. Moaning Myrtle looked around, well I didn't do it. I can't even make contact with any of it, _see" _She finished, as she dropped through the floor, and through the potions.

"Alright, fine, whatever. Why are you not at the new bewitched room with the other ghost?" Filch asked.

"Ohhh, you mean the one on the second floor at the southwest corner of the castle? The one with the tapestry of Helga Huffelpuff on it?" Myrtle said. "Why I was just on my way down there. She said, and hovered through the wall. Filch gave one final glance around and then left with Miss Norris at his side. After a few minutes had past Harry threw off the invisibility cloak and the trio stood up. Harry looked at Cho.

"Is this where you go every night? What were you doing to that torso, what are you so angry about?" Harry asked. Cho lowered her head, not able to look at Harry.

"I… I needed to catch up with some classes. I've been sneaking out here to do some homework that I was behind on." Cho said in an apologetic tone.

"Well, why don't you do your homework with us after class?" Harry asked.

"I'm sorry, but I… it was something I had to do myself. For potions class." Cho caught Ron glancing over the table at the book that she had lain out, and ran over and grabbed it, holding it tight in her arms, as if protecting it from the two boys. Cho was acting very suspicious. Harry started to approach her, but she stepped back, almost knocking over her broom.

"Cho… let me see that book." Harry demanded, tired of Cho acting so weird, and not being able to know why. Tears ran down Cho's face as she held the book titer and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Harry, but I promised my dad that…" Cho started in a whimper, but was cut off by Moaning Myrtle.

"You know people. I'm not about to wait around forever. Did you want to see what I brought you to this part of the castle for or not." She said offended that no one had been following her. Harry nodded and he and Ron started to put the cloak back on. Harry looked back at Cho.

"Are you coming?" He asked casually. Cho looked around at the broken potions bottles, and the Jinxing Torso.

"But Harry, I have to clean up here. You go ahead, if you found something, you can tell me at the next meeting." Cho said worried. Harry sighed with frustration at Cho's unwillingness to open up to him.

"Fine, just forget it. See you in the great hall." Harry finished. Cho suddenly looked even more upset.

"Harry, I'm sorry, I just have to clean all this up." Cho said sadly. Harry and Ron threw on the invisibility cloak, and started off down the hall. They walked around a few more corners until they came upon Sir Nicolas, hugging a wall and burying his face in it, like it was a pillow. In addition the gray lady was running her hands along the wall, felling the texture of it. Moaning Myrtle floated over to the door of the room and hovered beside it.

"Well this is it Harry. This is another bewitched room that we found. But we can't get into it. Could you open it with your wands?" Myrtle said. Harry looked at the wall in amazement, and he and Ron threw off the invisibility cloak.

"So this is the second bewitched room that we've been looking for these last few weeks. And now we've found it. Now we'll see it's secretes." Harry said excited. The ghost looked at Harry with confusion.

"Um Harry, this room was bewitched in the last few days. The Gray Lady walked through this wall a few days ago to get to the Potions class. _This is a new bewitched room." _Sir Nicholas said.

"What! How many ghost proof rooms are there in this castle?" Harry said frustrated. Sir Nicholas raised an eyebrow.

"Well how many do you know of Harry?" He asked.

"There's Filches office, and then there is supposed to be a third one that we told you and the Gray Lady about. Have you found that one?" Harry asked.

"We looked for it, but never found it, and we've practically been all over the castle looking. I don't think that it exists." The Gray Lady said. Harry was disappointed, about the other room not existing, but was curious to what was in this room. He walked to the door and used the unlocking charm. The lock came apart and dropped to the floor. Harry looked at Ron.

"That was simple enough." Harry said. Harry pushed open the door, and walked inside. It was dark, and he couldn't see. "Luminous!" Harry shouted, and the room lit up with the glow of his wand. He looked around. The ghost and Ron followed him in, and looked around as well. The room was empty. It was also small, and seemed to be a small storage closet that wasn't in use.

"**Nothing!"** Harry said angrily. "Just an empty room. Useless." Harry finished. Myrtle sniffed the cold wall, and looked at Harry.

"Ohhhh poor Harry Potter can't solve his mystery. But this is not a useless room. It's a very good room. A room that you can feel, taste, and smell, and Filch hasn't chased any of us away either. It's a lovely room." Myrtle finished proudly. Harry and Ron began to walk out of the room disappointed.

"One moment Mr. Potter. There is something here." The Gray Lady said casually. Harry turned around to look at her. She was unsuccessfully trying to pick something off the floor. Harry reached for it, and held it up. It was a silver earring in the shape of a star.

"An earring. Ron does Draco even ware an earring?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head.

"Not that I have ever seen. It might be a girl's. Maybe Marietta Edgencombe earring. I mean she made Filch's office ghost proof." Ron put in. Harry looked at the earring, put it in his pocket, and looked around one more time. But who would want to Jinx this room? I mean it doesn't seem to contain anything." Harry said confused. Ron looked around the room trying to find some reason for it.

"Well… perhaps it did contain something for a few days and whoever made it ghost proof took out what ever it was. I mean just a thought." Ron said casually. Harry reflected on Cho's behavior. It was very suspicious, and he wanted to know what she was doing really. For some reason he didn't believe that she was doing potions homework. He and Ron left the ghost proof room and headed down toward the corridor towards the potions classroom. Harry and Ron opened the door, and walked inside the classroom. They looked around to see the Jinxing Torso put up, and the broken bottles cleaned up. Cho was nowhere to be seen and the room was frightfully cold. Ron Moved to close an open window. Harry thought for a minute. He looked at Ron.

"Ron, we never passed the North Tower on the way to the bewitched room did we?" Harry asked. Ron thought for a second.

"Err… no, I mean it's before the North Tower area. Why?" Ron asked. Something's wrong. We definitely ran into someone else with an invisibility cloak tonight. It sounded like a girl. Then we run into Cho acting really strange. She was going to join us, or at least go back to her House. We would have run into her either way. But we didn't, and she's not here." Harry said concentrating hard. Ron looked at Harry concerned.

"What are you saying Harry?" Ron asked concerned. Harry looked up at Ron with a concerned look on his face, and gave a sigh.

"It's just that… I was wondering if Cho's family was rich enough to afford an invisibility cloak. I mean how else could she have gotten past us and why else she is acting so strange. She's a pureblood, and well maybe her parents are prejudice against half bloods, and Muggleborn, and…"

"Oh come on Harry. I'm sure that Cho's not like that. She seems to have a lot of Muggleborn friends, and… well racist don't have them. You don't really believe what your saying do you? I mean I'm sure that there is a reasonable explanation for it. Ask her next time you see, her. Even corner her if you have too, if she's avoiding you. I think that she's not plotting against you, but… she does need to explain herself." Ron finished. Harry nodded.

"Your right, I… I'm just throwing ideas up in the air. I'll talk to her soon. Anyway let's get back to our house." Harry finished.

**_Luna's POV:_**

"Luna woke up to quite banging on her dorm room window. She rubbed her eyes, got up, and walked over to her window, expecting an owl-love letter from Ron, as they had been sending each other cute little notes almost every night. Luna opened the window and shivered from the rush of cold Scottish air. Her eyes went wide as Cho Chang floated in on her broom, also shaking from the weather. Cho dropped to the floor, and turned to close the window. When she turned back to Luna she spoke through chattering teeth.

"Th…th…th… thanks Luna! Mmmmm…mmm... my… roo…roo…room mates lllll…locked me out this time." Cho said.

"What do you mean Cho? What are you doing out tonight… every night? You have to tell me." Luna said concerned. Cho looked at her with her usual sad face.

"Luna, I… I'm sp… sp…spending my nights in potions class trying to find a cure for mmm… mmm… my mum. I've been sneaking out of my room at night by broom, so that I'm not seen by anyone. Everyday after classes I stay after in pppp… pppp… potions class to work on the Jinxing Torso. When the teacher makes me leave I secretly unlock the corner window so that I can get in. I also leave my bedroom window open to get back in, but my roommates ccc… ccc… complain of the cold. This time they locked me out, so I was outside a long time. It's cold!" Cho said rubbing her shoulders to warm herself up. Luna gave her a hug.

"Cho, you have to stop this! You have to trust the doctors to help your mum. You're doing badly in school, and… Cho people are starting to get mad at you for losing so many points. Look. I know that you want to help your mum, but you really need to start studying again, or you're going to fail school." Luna said concerned. Cho looked to the floor.

"I shouldn't even be here Luna. I should be with mum. I'm not… choke… I just want to make her better. I keep trying, but I always fail." Cho cried. Luna looked Cho in the eye.

"Cho, you are the kindest hearted person I have ever known in my life. You stick up for people when it's not the most popular thing to do, and try to take care of everyone's problems. But there are some things that are beyond your control. You mum has good Doctors looking over her, and they will take care of her. Now you know that she would want you to pass this year don't you?" Luna said. Cho nodded. "Then Cho you really have to get on your work, just work with the Torso once a week, and study lessons the rest. Look I'm part of a study group, and I want you to join us. We meet twice a week. Start studying with us, day after tomorrow. Promise, Okay?" Luna finished. Cho nodded.

"Luna, I'm sorry, I'm just so scared. I…" Cho started.

"I understand Cho, but you just have to study, you don't want them to kick you out do you?" Luna asked. Tears continued to flow down Cho's face.

"No." Cho said in a squeaky voice. Luna patted her on the back.

"Then concentrate on your work, but for now it's late. Get some sleep." She smiled. Cho gave Luna a last hug, and thanked her for being there for her. She headed off to her room, and crashed down on her bed, passing out instantly.


	36. Chapter 36

Quillian: Thanks again for the review, and thanks for the mention about Luna and Cho: )

EnlightenedKing: Cho is naïve. That's actually cannon though. But she has a reason that she cannot tell Harry about what's going on. I've learned from friends that in traditional Chinese culture that you don't talk about family problems with other people, and am incorporating it into the story. Cho is Scottish, but inherits some of the characteristics of her first generation Chinese-Scottish parents. She has a strong sense of duty to her family, and remains mostly quite about it, but if she didn't feel obligated, she would rather talk to people about what's bothering her. Voldermort is still at large, and prepping up for things to come, but he is not actively killing people just yet. After his defeat at the Ministry of Magic, he has to fall back and regroup his remaining forces. He's not even in the UK right now, which also has Dumbledore away from Hogwarts often in order to look for him. Marietta's club? Well I guess I would describe it as a junior Hitler youth type thing. Part of a larger entity that is not really based in the UK, but across the channel in Western Europe. It's not based on being white like the Hitler Youth was, but on the purity of a person's magical linage. But that doesn't stop Marietta from being racist to Cho because of her ethnicity. Marietta isn't the leader of the whole larger society, just a very brilliant and evil girl trying to further it's ends, and policies. If you'll remember in OOTP Sirius Black said that their were not a lot of pureblood families in the UK, so I'm putting a large number in Europe and other places.

Froggie2: Thanks for a really good review, and I'm glad that you liked the whole thing about Luna consoling Cho. Usually Cho takes up for everyone else, but she needs someone's shoulder to cry on as well sometime. I hope you like this chapter.

SolidSnake19: Thanks for the review. I'm actually trying to keep the story fresh. I just hope that I can. I have a beta reader now that will eventually fix all my chapters, so things will get better in the grammar regard soon:) Hope this chapter is to your liking.

Chaos666: Thanks again for reviewing. Well actually the dueling lessons are over, so fake-Seamus will not be leaving anymore points for that. But he did get a bad grade for sleeping in class. More likely though you'll see the Ravenclaws get mad at Cho for sleeping in class.

youngbull68: Really? A lot of people don't respond to comments that people leave for them? I thought that everyone did. It's only fair if people are going to review your story. That's a good idea to practice your friends writing style on these boards. It probably was my IMDB post that you linked to, as my signature is the story that introduced me to fan fiction. Check my favorite stories for "Follow Your Heart", great story! I don't think that I could write anything significant on my own, as I would want to write about the British Military, and have too little knowledge on that. Also there is just no time. I'll be happy to finish this. When your friend gets his story up, let me know, and make sure he puts **_Cho_** in it:) You Gotta have the **_Cho _**;)

Tiyuri: Thanks for all the mail on my myspace. I hope you get your first chapter of your Harry/Cho fic up soon, and I cannot wait to read it.

Hello again everyone. I'm sorry that it took so long this time, but it's been crazy busy, and my computers been acting up. I just haven't had a lot of time, but I'm going to try and step up the process for upcoming chapters, with time compression. Well in this one we find out why Cho hasn't told Harry what's been going on, and Dumbledore makes a guest appearance. (Yea!) Also a person shows up that really makes one of the characters very pissed off. Um I have a great love of Helicopters, but cant describe them to well in print, so if you wanted a better idea of what is being seen by the characters, look up (Bell Jet Ranger III) under a Google image search, or rent the movie "Blue Thunder" and look at the basic police chopper to see what it looks like. Clearly this is not a very good chapter, but I just haven't had a lot of time. I'll try to do good on the next one. Hope you enjoy, and thanks again for the reviews:D

**Chapter 36: Cho's promise**

Cho Chang leaned against the chest level wall of the astronomy tower. A cold Scottish wind blew her long flowing hair to the side, and she rubbed her arms to warm them. She has started coming here for a couple of hours every evening after school because it was one of the loneliest locations in the castle. There were only three other students on the tower. A Huffelpuff boy and girl who were making out in a corner that blocked out the wind, and a Slytherin boy was looking through one of the many permanent telescopes on the tower and writing something down in a notebook. She had been avoiding Harry and didn't know why. Especially when she wanted to be with him more than anything in the world. She needed to be in his arms, to be held by him, to feel safe from all her troubles, to forget for a short time about all her grief. But she couldn't, because she couldn't talk about what she needed to with him. She was so confused about so much. She wanted to tell Harry what she had been doing that night in the potions class, but had promised her father that she wouldn't talk about personal family matters with anyone, and she was already telling Luna, so she had already broken the promise once. Why did her family have to be so secretive about such things? Whenever any of her friends had family problems they would let it out, and she could comfort them, and help them as best she could. But not her. Because of some silly superstition about it being bad luck to discuss it with non family members that her family held she couldn't let it out. How little Harry must think of her now. How could she tell him about everything? She knew that he was annoyed at seeing her cry all the time, and she wished that she could be strong like her parents. But she wasn't strong. She had always been so easily hurt by things, and let all the little things get to her. Even before Cedric's death she had been brought to tears at the smallest things. And now she reflected at how useless she was. She lost the Quidditch cup for her house last year, accidentally brought a sneak to Harry's DA classes, and now she couldn't even use the Jinxing torso to help her mum.

Cho had planed to take Luna's advice and only use it once a week, so that she could get more sleep, and concentrate on her homework. But a few days after Harry had caught her in the class Professor Pinefield had discovered that several potions had been stolen from the class, and had announced that they were going to put a house elf in the room at night to make sure that no one broke in again. Well actually the potions had not been stolen, but the contents of the bottles had spilled out on the floor when Cho had flung them off the table in frustration. She was under the impression that Professor Pinefield suspected her, as she now refused to allow her the use of the jinxing torso anymore after class, and seemed to give her suspicious looks every so often.

Now Cho spent most of her time after class in the Ravenclaw common room in a lonely corner. She was withdrawing from her friends, and she didn't even know why herself. She just knew that her heart hurt terribly, and that she wanted to not exist, to not hurt anymore.

Early last night she had flown on her broom outside the window of the potions lab, to see if it was true about the house elf. It was, Cho saw her sitting at one of the desk sipping on something in a goblet, and she knew that she could never again use that room to find her mother a cure. She would have to think of something else. Cho raised her head and watched the Slytheren boy and two Hufflepuffs leave the tower. She looked at her bewitched watch. Six thirty. Only three and a half hours before curfew. The sun was starting to go down. She decided that she could wait another fifteen minutes, and then go to do her homework. She looked across the dark forest wondering if she should again break her promise to her father and tell Harry about her mum, and why she was in the potions class that night. Cho put her hand to her chest and felt the love-protection charm given to her by her father. She remembered her duty to her family, the promise that she had made. No, she couldn't tell Harry, it wasn't about what she wanted. Cho would honor her promise to her family, and not say anything to anyone but Luna. She wouldn't even tell her except that she felt she had to tell someone or she would go insane.

Cho reached in her pocket and took out the letters that she had received that morning. The one from Ling, and Sally explaining about how they had almost gotten trampled at a football game when a riot broke out between their fellow Hammers fans, and some Liverpool supporters. People were throwing rocks, and Molotov cocktails, (Bottles filled with petrol with a rag hanging out to light, that would explode when thrown.) at each other, and the police had to come in with fire hoses and tear gas to get everything under control. But that it was all ok in the end because Westham beat Liverpool three-nill. Cho shook her head knowing that she would never understand the fanaticism of football fans. As usual the parchment was signed the notorious Sally and Ling. Cho then reached in her pocket for the second letter. She pulled it out and read it over again. It was from her father, and it said that her mother had only gotten worse. More Chemo, more radiation therapy, and more experimental drug test. Cho was seriously thinking about leaving Hogwarts soon. It didn't seem to matter if she could do magic anymore. She needed to be close to her mum. She could live amongst muggles if she had too. Her uncle's family were muggles, and many of her friends were muggleborne. It would be worth giving up everything to be with her mum. She was certainly not doing her any good here, and she wasn't really any good at anything anyway. "Maybe I don't belong here anyway," she thought. She felt her Ravenclaw crest with her hand and remembered what a terrible mistake the sorting hat had made. "Those of wit and learning… not me." She said out loud to herself.

"Really Miss Chang? Well I happen to know that Professor Flitwick has another opinion on that." Said a deep voice behind her. Cho spun around surprised to come face to face with someone she never expected to see again.

"Hhh… Head Master! I, didn't know you were up here sir." Cho stammered. Albus Dumbledore looked around the tower and walked up beside Cho gazing over to the dark forest, the howling wind blowing cold in his face. He looked down at her.

"Well I always like a nice cool breeze. It was a trifle hot in my office, so I came up here to cool off." He smiled. Dumbledore looked at Cho with an unreadable expression. "Interestingly enough I was actually going to speak with you soon, so it's very convenient that you're here." Dumbledore said casually. Cho raised an eyebrow.

"You… you were going to see me?" She asked concerned.

"Yes, it seems that professor Flitwick has been very concerned about you, as have your other Professors. It seems that you've been sleeping in class a lot, and that your grades are again doing very poorly. You know a head master tries to get to know as many of his students as he can, but I regret to say that we've only had the privilege of meeting once before, and that was under very unsatisfactory circumstances if you'll remember," Dumbledore finished. Cho lowered her eyes remembering the incident from her third year that got her sent to the Head Masters office. She looked up at him with a frown.

"I remember head Master; I'm sorry about what happened. I… I'll study harder… and I…" Cho stammered.

"Miss Chang. I like to let the students know that they can come to me if any of them have a problem. I would like to know what is troubling you, because you seemed to be catching up for a while, and then began to regress again in the last few weeks. What is wrong?" He asked concerned.

"Nothing, I just… I'll try harder, really!" Cho said shakily.

"Are you sure that there is nothing that you want to talk about Miss Chang? Nothing at all?" Dumbledore asked. Cho nodded her head, but she did want to tell him. She wanted to tell anyone who would listen and it was killing her to keep it inside, but it wasn't her choice. She had to keep it bottled in. Cho was feeling boxed in and started to edge past the head master over to the entrance, but not losing eye-contact. Dumbledore looked at her firmly.

"Well Miss Chang. I'm afraid that you're going to have to improve soon or we cannot graduate you. Now I know you don't want that do you?" Cho bit her lip to keep from tearing up. She looked at Dumbledore with a grim face.

"I want to go home." Cho said sadly, as her eyes fell on something small rising over the dark forest, and she heard a chopping sound coming from far away that she could just hear over the wind. Dumbledore shook his head.

"I hope you don't mean that Miss Chang. There is still time to bring your work up too speed, but you have to put all your effort into it. You have to forget about everything that's going on outside, and work on your studies. Now I need to ask, is there anyone that you confide your problems too? Anyone that you can talk to, to help you through things?" Dumbledore asked a distracted Cho. The object over the forest was getting closer and the chopping sound louder, and more familiar. Cho could almost make out a shape, a large body with a rotating device. It was a few hundred feet up and approaching slowly, almost in slow motion. Cho looked back at Dumbledore.

"I… tell all my problems to my friend Luna, Head Master." She said in a thick Scottish accent, and turned to look over his shoulder at the approaching object. Red lights flickered from the tail of the object, a strobe light flashed on and off from the top, and the sounds of the rotors were now more audible. Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder, and looked at her very seriously.

"Well Miss Chang, if you don't want to talk to me, about what's bothering you, I'll just have to accept it, but I ask because I wonder if it is related to your late night, clandestine visits to the potions class these past few weeknights." Dumbledore said as he watched Cho Chang's almond shape eyes widen to full circles. Her mouth dropped open, and she unconsciously stepped back a few paces.

"What… what do you mean Head Master?" She asked, her face turning pale. Dumbledore looked at her casually.

"Now Miss Chang. There is no use denying it. Funny thing about these walls here at Hogwarts, they carry a lot of memory, and the most recent ones are the freshest memories of all. Sometimes those memories can be recreated in a room, by the masters to see if a student has been involved in some _unauthorized activity._ I think that you, your head of house and I need to have a chat in the potions ro… Miss Chang what are you staring at?" Dumbledore interrupted himself seeing Cho quite distracted. Cho lifted up her finger past his shoulder as a loud chopping sound filled the air.

"The helicopter!" Cho said. Dumbledore swung around to see a muggle helicopter flying over the castle toward them. It made a high speed pass over the tower and Cho and Dumbledore watched it pitch up, climb, turn left and hover for a moment. The helicopter had a sleek design and the main and tail rotors spun at incredible speeds. The helicopter was white with brown vertical stripes that ran the length of the fuel-silage, and Cho could make out a black tear drop symbol painted on the side. The aircraft circled the castle a few times and then hovered nest to the astronomy tower only a few meters away from Cho and Dumbledore. Cho could see a search light under the nose of the aircraft, and a megaphone under the bottom, between the skids that it used for landing gear. The chopper turned to face Cho and Dumbledore and she could see two people inside. One man, who was younger, was in a grey flight suit, wearing aviator glasses and some sort of head piece device with earphones, and a microphone, and the other, a much older man with a pointy goatee, wearing wizarding clothes, including reddish velvet robes, and also wearing the strange headpiece that covered his ears like earmuffs, and had a protruding microphone that he seemed to be speaking into. The man wearing the robes was smiling and appeared to be waving at them. Cho wasn't feeling like smiling, and the loud chopping of the rotor blades were deafening, but she managed to wave back. She looked back at Dumbledore, who wasn't waving at all. In fact the headmaster had a look of deep hatred on his face and his hands were balled up into fist. Cho had never seen the head master so angry before. She had never seen anyone so angry before. The helicopter rose up suddenly turned on its axis, pitched its nose down and flew off toward Hogsmead. Dumbledore turned back to Cho.

"Miss Chang. I have to go now. We will continue this discussion another time. He turned and rushed off toward the stairs of the astronomy tower and disappeared. Cho backed against the wall and slid down. How could the Head Master know that she was the one who was sneaking into the lab at night? She was in real trouble she thought. She looked up again at the open sky.

"Why had the head master been so angry about the muggle helicopter?" She knew that most muggles couldn't see Hogwarts, but she was sure that this aircraft had a wizarding person in it. She shook it off. It doesn't matter, she had bigger problems. She might be expelled. Was it better to confess that it was her and not explain what she was doing, or was it better to keep denying that she was the one who spilled the potions? That must be the reason that she was found out. But _how_ did they know it was her? Maybe she should just leave school now before she got expelled, and brought shame to her family. She wanted to be with her mother anyway. Should she pack her bags tonight? No, just go do your homework she thought. Whatever happens, you have no control over it. Just do what you should have been doing all along, and try to study.

**The next day (Dinner):**

Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, and held up the earring and stared intently at it. Its wearer had definitely bewitched the room by the North Tower. It was a very distinctive piece Harry thought. It was in the shape of a star, and had a small British roundel in the center, like the ones on the wings of Spitfires from WW2. Harry wondered if Cho was the one who left it in the room. She was behaving strangely, and avoiding him lately. He had caught her doing something, but he didn't know what. Was it Cho that was wearing the invisibility cloak that night? Was she somehow still involved with Marietta Edgencombe? He didn't know, but the thought depressed him. Harry didn't want to believe that Cho was going against him, but she was behaving so strangely that he had to consider it. She was doing something with the Jinxing Torso when he found her, and she had a book that she wouldn't let him see. Harry closed his eyes, and thought. "What are you up to Cho, and why can't we talk about it?" Harry asked himself. He looked over at the Ravenclaw table to see her eating some sirloin steak, with the same sad look on her face that she had since Cedric had died. "Why are you still grieving over him Cho? You have to get over his death. How can you still be so traumatized by it?

"Harry, I need you to come with me for a minute." A soft voice from behind him stated. Harry turned around in his seat to see a cute girl in a Slytheren uniform smiling at him. Harry smiled at her.

"Hello Fiona, what's up?" Harry asked. Fiona grabbed his arm and gently, but firmly guided him away from the Gryffindor table, and over to a corner of the room where about eight people from all four houses were gathered.

"Harry I want you to meet my friends, these are the most popular students in Hogwarts, aside from you that is, and their parents have a lot of pull in the wizarding world," Fiona said proudly. She introduced Harry to all of them, and stated what their parents did, and how much money that their parents made, and what luxury items that they possessed. Also she went through who their ancestors were, and described famous ancestors in history. Harry was surprised to find that now all were purebloods, and that Fiona, although she was in Slytheren didn't have a problem with that. Fiona also told Harry of her family and how she lived in a large estate in Cambridge. She bragged about her wealth for sometime, between chats that Harry had with her friends. Harry did notice that Cho was not among the group. Odd he thought that if these were the most popular group, than why wasn't she here. Cho did seem to have a lot of friends, he remembered from his previous years. After the chat Fiona lead Harry out of the great Hall to a quite corner of the castle. Harry was glad to be away from the others, because something about most of them rubbed him the wrong way. They seemed to be a really snobbish group, talking of how many hundreds of thousands of pounds, or galleons that their family's made per week. Everything seemed to be about how liked they were, and how everyone wanted to hang out with them. Fiona stopped in a dark corned and turned Harry to face her. She smiled, and kissed him, obviously over her shyness around him.

"They're all very happy that were going out together Potter, naturally though, my friends are not surprised. I mean you being who you are, and I being who I am. I'm sooo happy to be going out with _The Boy Who Lived!_ It only makes since. I mean I'm really amazed that we didn't come together sooner. But naturally you can understand that last year we couldn't be, but that's all in the past... Harry had to stop her in mid-sentence.

"Whoa, wait. Why couldn't we get together last year Fiona?" Harry asked. She smiled at him.

"Oh Harry, last year everyone thought that you were insane. You know that I couldn't have gone with you then. I was afraid that you were going to hurt someone. Well that's what the papers said." Fiona said in a casual voice. Harry was a bit offended that she thought that last year, but most people did he supposed.

"And now?" Harry asked. Fiona gave him a passionate kiss that made him dizzy.

"Now you're _The Boy Who Lived _again. Now I'm your loyal fan." She said as she pulled her lips away from his. Harry looked at her seriously.

"And how loyal are you?" Harry asked. Fiona smiled even wider.

"To the end Potter. I'll always believe in you. And I can help you to become even more popular. Those people I introduced you to are going to be the most influential people in the wizarding and muggle world one day. There a better class of people, just like us. Not just because their rich, but because their popular. Oh! That reminds me, I have something for you Harry!" Fiona said digging in her pocket, and pulling out a heart shaped locket with a gold necklace. She opened the locket to reveal a picture of herself in the right hand side, and a picture of Harry on the left. "Now you see, just like the one that I'm wearing so that well both know how lucky we are to be together. We also need to start sitting together at every meal possible. It's important that were seen together." Fiona boasted.

"Why is that so important?" Harry asked. Fiona laughed happily.

"Because silly, it will do wonders for our popularity. Were two of the most popular students in school, and together were even going to be even more popular. That's the most important thing in this school you know, popularity." She said with determination. Harry looked at her, not exactly believing himself. She seemed a little shallow.

"Why is that important?" Harry asked. Fiona smiled.

"Let me ask you this Potter, how did you feel last year when almost no one would speak to you?" Fiona asked. Harry sighed.

"Miserable!" Harry said flatly, remembering just how unpopular he was.

"Well there you go!" Fiona said.

"Um, is Cho Chang in your group?" Harry asked suddenly. Fiona laughed hysterically. "What's so funny?" Harry asked not getting the humor. Fiona looked up at him giggling.

"Oh Harry of coarse not why would she be?" Fiona asked.

"Well she is one of the most popular people in school, and she does have a lot of friends." Harry said.

"Well that's just why Potter. I mean Cho Chang will hang out with anyone. My group prefers a more select people. The right kind of people. I mean we can't be seen hanging out with _just anyone_ can we?" she finished. Harry started to grow a little hostile.

"Look if your one of those bloody Purebloods who look down on people who are not of completely pure magical linage…" Harry began to shout as he pointed an accusing finger at Fiona, who was taken aback.

"No, no Harry! I'm a half blood myself. Look I meant something else. Look I didn't mean to upset you, it's just that, well I'm very select in my friends, and I don't want to be friends with everyone. There are certain people who don't quite fit in, and well, I don't like to be around them. But it's not about the pureblood thing. I mean how could it be? You and I are both half bloods, and some of my friends are Muggleborn. I'm talking about popularity Potter. I'm talking about not hanging out with people who would make you uncool in the eyes of others. For instance, look at Draco Malfoy. I don't hang around him or his friends because their fathers are Death Eaters, and no one likes them for it. That was good advice that you gave me to stay away from them." Fiona stated finishing her long rant about the importance of popularity. Harry was a bit turned off by the idea that Fiona wouldn't hang out with someone because they were unpopular, but she was so cute that he decided that he would thy to change her mind about it later. She was right about one thing though, he did want to continue to be popular, especially after last year, and mostly because of it. Fiona recognized the upset look on Harry's face, and kissed him again. "Ahhh, look Potter, I didn't mean to upset you, lets talk about something else. Or better yet, let's find someplace more private and do more than talk. Harry became aroused at the suggestion, but had already made prior commitments.

"Wow, umm that's tempting, but I already promised my friend Hermione that I would help her with making decorations for the Yule Ball. She's having trouble with her boyfriend, Ron Weasley, and wants to talk about me helping get them back to gather. Well actually, _back together._" Harry finished. Fiona looked surprisingly happy.

"That's wonderful Potter!" she said excited.

"It is?" Harry said confused.

"Of course, you need them as your friends; they are famous from the Battle at the Ministry last year. Very Popular people. Not as popular as you, but definitely the right kind of people. Everybody knows them." Fiona finished.

"Well I guess, but that's not the reason that we're friends. We've been friends since our first year. I don't hang out with them because they are popular or not." Harry said.

"Of coarse not, that just shows that you have a natural talent for picking the right kind of friends." She smiled. "Look, it's good that your spending time with them, maybe when we go to Hogsmead they can meet my friends, and we can all get together. I'd love to meet them. It will look good for us all to be seen together. It will just confirm our social standing." Fiona said happily.

"I guess." Harry said without much excitement.

"Well look Potter, if your going to do that I'm going to see a couple of friends about plans for a party. Oh! Some fellow Slythern's are having a party in one of the dungeons on next Friday night, keep that night open for me. Sneak out of your dorm at around eleven that night, and meet by the statue of the Mina tar in the third level dungeon. Were all meeting there? And tell your friends Weasley and Granger to come as well." She said, and kissed Harry goodbye. Harry looked at his watch and turned to head back toward the direction of the Gryffindor tower, where plans for the Yule ball were being held in an unused classroom. He wasn't officially on the committee to decorate, but wasn't spending enough time with Hermione lately. He was curious to know how Ron and Hermione were dealing with each other in the meetings, as both of them and Luna Lovegood were all helping out. It was going to be an interesting two hours he thought to himself.


	37. Chapter 37

Lord Firefox: I know it's been too long, and I'm sorry, I want them to get together soon, but first some really terrible things have to happen. Please stay with me for a few chapters. I'll try to trim it down as much as possible.

Froggie2: I think that this is my favorite review so far, thanks for confirming the part of the story about Asian culture. I wasn't sure if everyone would understand. Sadly Cho's problems are just beginning. But hey she's in Ravenclaw, so ya Gotta know that she's going to think of some way out of it;) I'm reposting your review here because it's very informative to Cho's upbringing, and family culture. And it will help readers understand her reasons for not telling Harry about her problems. Thanks so much. hug Oh, and that Fiona girl, yea very superficial.

_**As an American whose ancestors are from Southeast Asia...yes we were taught to keep our family problems in within the family. It's not proper to talk about whatever issues we're having with outsiders. That's just the way it was. So yeah I can definitely sympathize with Cho. But that being said... **_

sniff Cho really, really needs to confide in someone (preferably with emerald green eyes & messy black hair) about her problems at home. It's totally affecting her school work...but who can really blame her.

Oh...don't even get me started on that Fiona chick. She is so superficial...arggh. Harry needs to ditch her yesterday already!

Quillian: Thanks for the complement:) The helicopter is foreshadowing for a later chapter, but just know that Dumbledore was very pissed off when he saw who was in it. Did you go to see what a **Bell Jet Ranger** helicopter looked like? I love choppers, but I'm not good at describing them. You can do a Google search on it. You'll see the chopper again soon, and meet who was in it.

SolidSnake19: Thanks for the encouragement:) I'm glad that you liked the chapter. I hope to get better, but I'm also going to try and crunch down a few ideas, to make the story shorter. I'll do my best.

EnlightenedKing: Well, Dumbledore did use Harry as bate in GOF, but here his interactions will be more with Cho than Harry. Well as far as Fiona, Hermione's in the clear because her parents are both dentist, and they make enough money. But as far as someone else you mentioned, very good observation. I don't want to spoil who she looks down on for you, so I'll just say that you have good instincts about where the story is going. Well, about Cho's appearance. I wouldn't say that she looks too bad, she just has a sad look in her eyes all the time. A dull look yes, and always looking down to the ground, but not always dark circles. She's withdrawing from everyone, but now she will try to make up some of her schoolwork.

Ooookay everyone, well here it is. Chapter 37. god, I'm sorry about the length. Um well this is more about misinterpretations. It also solves the problem about how I was going to get Harry to argue with a pureblood, and how Marietta could find out about it. Well, I have to say that this seems like a throwaway chapter, but it really has some significance to it. There is foreshadowing at the end. Next couple of chapters are expected to be very dark. Everyone should read the review by Froggie2 above to see how I was trying to give a window on Cho's family culture. It speaks volumes. I'm very grateful to everyone who has stayed on this long. Thanks again:)

**Chapter 37: The Yule Ball Committee. **

Harry stepped in the door of the classroom where the Yule ball committee was formed, and noticed instantly that there was a vastly disproportionate number of girls than boys in the room. As he scanned the room from one side to the other he noticed that the only boys in attendance were Ron, Neville Longbottom, and himself. Neville was sitting next to the Slytheren girl, Gloria Kingston, which they had met on the train coming to Hogwarts. He had guessed that Neville had finally found a girl for himself. "Good for him," Harry thought. Harry then scanned over to another part of the room to find Ron and Luna in deep conversation. They were both smiling, and giggling. Luna gave Ron a quick kiss, and the conversation continued. Finally in another part of the room Harry saw Hermione talking to Parvati Patel, both were cutting out stars from metallic colored paper. Hermione looked up and saw Harry. She smiled and waved him over to her. Harry walked over and sat down opposite the two girls.

"Hey Harry, what's the news?" Hermione asked happily.

"Well I think that I'm taking Fiona Shaw to Hogsmead for our first weekend. She said that she is going to set up some sort of party her beforehand though, and she wants you and Ron to come." Harry said. Hermione looked excited.

"Really, I'm invited? That's so nice of you to get her to invite me. I've never even met her. Must be a nice girl," Hermione said. Harry shrugged.

"I guess, I didn't get her to invite you, she wanted you to come because you're famous from the battle at the Ministry. But I'm glad that she did invite you and Ron because I would have had her do it anyway," Harry stated. Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment, and a quill.

"Well where's the party?" Hermione asked.

"Don't know? It's a secret because it's after curfew," Harry stated.

"Can my sister and I come too Potter?" Parvati put in. Harry scratched his head unsure.

"Well I don't know. I kind of got the vibe that it was by invitation only, but I'll certainly ask." Harry said casually. Harry looked at Hermione.

"So, do you want me to talk to Ron for you? I don't think that it will do any good, but I'll give it a try." Harry said.

"Yes, Harry I need him to change his mind before the Yule Ball, so that we can go together. I miss him, but don't tell him _that._ Just tell him that we were meant to be with each other. Tell Ron that he needs to dump that… that girl Luna, and be with me. I'm much more intelligent than her, and I'm not at all weird like her." Hermione said.

"Look Luna's a nice girl, and I thought that the two of you made up already, I mean you and Luna." Harry said.

"We have, but she is still weird. Everyone thinks so. She's not the kind of girl that Ron needs to be romantically involved with. Look Harry just please talk to Ron again." Hermione pleaded.

"I will, but I don't understand why you don't talk to him yourself again." Harry replied. Hermione put her head down and closed her eyes.

"I've tried Harry, but it's no use. All we do is end up fighting about it, and then we don't talk for days, or even weeks. It's not the way I want it to be, but he makes me so mad. Every year we've been hiding our feelings about each other, even though we loved each other. I know what my feelings for him are now and I don't want to hide them any more. I need to spend more time with him, but he's always with Luna." Hermione said in almost a sob. Harry pulled out his wand, waved it around and began to levitate a pair of scissors and use them to cut some of the metallic colored paper into the shape of several stars. Hermione and Parvati began to use their wands to make a banner with the four crests of the Hogwarts houses, on either side of the school crest. After they had been working a while Hermione had become thirsty and asked Harry to get her a drink from the water cooler that someone had conjured at the other end of the classroom. Harry walked over to it, grabbed one of the Styrofoam cups, filled it with cool water, and began to drink. He than poured a cup for Hermione, and walked back over toward the table where Hermione sat.  
"Hey Harry, come here for a minute." Ron shouted. Harry stopped briefly to talk with Ron and Luna about the ball, and then returned on his way to sit with Hermione, and Parvati. When he arrived back at the table he found that they had been joined by two Ravenclaw girls. One of the Ravenclaws was Parvatie's sister Padma. Harry had not seen the other girl before, but was surprised when she gave him a dirty look. Padma introduced her as Beverly Jones, a Welsh girl Cardiff, Wales. Harry sat down beside Padma, so that she would be between the other Ravenclaw girl and himself. Everyone started talking about some of the designs at the Yule ball, and how the ball should begin. Harry noticed that Padma's friend was giving him the minimum courtesy when she spoke to him. He wondered what her problem was. Suddenly Ron came up to the table and sat down with everyone.

"Hey Hermione, Harry, what did I miss?" He asked. Harry noticed that Luna was not with him.

"Where is Luna? I thought that she was the reason that you were on this committee." Harry asked.

"She had to go to the lavatory. She'll be back soon." Ron said casually. Everyone at the table introduced themselves to Ron and they all began to discuss decoration for the Yule ball. It was a subject that didn't really interest Harry, but he was there for Hermione. Finally Ron brought up the question of who everyone was taking to the ball.

"Err; well like I told Hermione, I think that I'm going with Fiona Shaw." Harry said.

"And who are you going with Ron?" Hermione asked. Ron looked to make sure that Luna was still in the lavatory, and then turned back to face Hermione.

"Well actually, I was going to ask you Hermione." Ron said in a friendly tone. To everyone's surprise Hermione got offended.

"How could you ask me that now when you came here to be with Luna Lovegood?" Hermione shot. Ron looked unsure of what to say.

"Well… I um, I'm not going to the ball to be with Luna. I want to be with you at the ball. Look, don't be difficult. You know I love you, and I'm not going to explain why I'm going out with other people again. What is your problem? Why do you have to act like this every time I try to be nice to you!" Ron said, his face turning red to match his hair.

"Don't you get heated with me, Ron Weasley! You haven't spent anytime with me this year at all." Hermione shot. Harry looked around; this row was starting to attract a lot of attention in the classroom.

"**And whose fault is that? Look every time I try to spend time with you, you tell me to get lost unless I'm ready to commit. Well I'm not ready to, but I still want to go to the ball with you, now what's you answer?" **Ron shouted pointing an accusing finger at Hermione. Hermione enraged slammed her fist down loudly on the desk and stuck her middle finger in the air right in front of Ron.

"Here's my answer you stupid git." Everyone in the room had jumped at the slam, even though they were all fully engrossed in what was going on. Ron stood up still looking at Hermione, with an expression of hurt. Harry thought for a second that Ron was going to be the one to tear up. Ron lowered his head for a second. When he raised it he seemed more composed.

"Fine. Who needs _you_ anyway? I don't want to spend any time with you. I don't want to see you again anymore. I wish that stupid hat had put you in another house so I wouldn't have to see you again." Ron said coldly. He turned and walked toward the door leaving Hermione with an expression on her face that made it look like someone had just stabbed her in the heart. Harry was speechless. He looked back to see Luna walk in the door, just as Ron walked up to it. Ron grabbed her arm, and turned her around.

"Come on." Ron said angrily.

"But what about the decorations, I…" Luna started.

"I said come on, were leaving. We need to spend more time together to talk about going to the Yule ball together." Ron said as he rushed her out the door. The room was suddenly quite for a few minutes as everyone looked at the table that Harry, and Hermione sat at. Finally Harry could take it no more.

"Sooo, um Parvati who are you taking to the ball?" Harry asked breaking the silence.

"Well I haven't got a date yet, but I've been talking to Ernie Mac Millan, a Huffelpuff boy in our year. Were getting pretty serious, so I hope he will ask me. Actually I'm sure that he will." She finished.

"Great. Mac Millan is a really good guy. I'm glad to hear that you two are hooking up together." Harry said. Hermione desperate to avoid any attention focused on herself turned to Padma's friend.

"So, who are you taking, Miss Jones is it?" Hermione asked. Beverly Jones smiled as she looked up from the stars that she was cutting out.

"Yes it is. My date to the ball is going to be Gloria Kingston." She said casually. Harry snickered unintentionally.

"That's funny Jones." Harry laughed. Beverly gave him a defensive look.

"Why is that funny Potter?" She asked. Harry was thrown by the question.

"Well um, you can't go to the ball with Gloria Kingston, I mean _she's a girl." _Harry said.

"So?" Beverly asked casually. Harry was at a loss for words, the situation seemed a little bizarre.

"Well, I mean… you're a girl. And if you went out with her, than that would make you a… a…" Harry couldn't finish, as he was starting to feel strangely uncomfortable.

"A lesbian?" Jones asked finishing his sentence. "Yes, does that offend you Potter?" She asked coldly. Harry was feeling very uncomfortable.

"Err… um, no… I mean, hey you know to each their own, I just um. Nothing. I'm cool with it." Harry stammered. "So who are you going with Padma," Harry said changing the subject.

Padma said that she was going with Allen Miller, the Slytheren, who had become Head boy.

"What? Padma how could you consort with the enemy, you know all those Slytherins are a bunch of potential Death Eaters." Harry said louder, and in a more hostile tone than he had intended. He was thinking about Malfoy, and how he was probably going to use his prefect position against Harry, and although Harry had never met Miller, he remembered his fight with the Slytheren last year in Umbridge's office. Padma gave him an angry look.

"Just what do you mean consorting with the enemy, Potter? Allen Miller is a very nice boy and happens to be very intelligent as well. What, have you two had a row or something?" she asked. Harry was sorry that he had been so quick to speak out against someone he had never met, but as a rule he considered anyone in Slytheren his personal enemy. Why not, he had never met a Slytheren he liked.

"Well no, I've never actually met him, but if he's in Slytheren than he can't be a good person can he." Padma was highly offended.

"Look Potter, for your information we've been seeing each other seriously since this summer. Allen and I have been neighbors and friends since we were children, and I love him. You sound like Marietta Edgencombe judging a whole group of people with one broad stroke. You haven't even met him." She said. Harry felt bad about prejudging Miller without ever meeting him. He was about to apologize to her, but she stormed out of the room angrily almost knocking over Pansy Parkinson who was walking in with some refreshments for the people at her table. Parvati rushed past Harry to go talk to her sister.

"Parvati, look I'm sorry, I just… I didn't mean it. Let me talk to her." Harry started sincerely.

"Forget it Potter, I'll talk to her, just watch what you say about people that you don't even know. She's right; you're acting just like Marietta." Parvati finished as she ran off to speak with her sister.

"Harry turned to Beverly Jones, the only Ravenclaw left at his table.

"What did they mean; I'm acting just like Marietta Edgencombe? I'm not a sneak? How else does she act?" Harry asked. Beverly gave him another harsh look.

"Just like you do Potter. She prejudges everyone on where their from, and what groups they belong too. She treats people who belong to certain groups badly. Doesn't look at them as individuals, or try to get to know them personally, just makes up her mind that everyone in a certain group of people are bad." Beverly said and started to walk out of the room. At the door she turned to Harry. "Oh, but the one good thing that I can say for Marietta Edgencombe is that she never dumped a guy fifteen minutes into a planed out date to go and be with someone else." Other than that I'm sure that you two have a lot in common." Beverly said accusingly and walked out the door. Harry sat down next to Hermione.

"Well this has been fun." He said sarcastically. Harry then looked over to Hermione, who was covering her eyes with her hands, and crying into them. "Hermione, why did you treat Ron like that? You had what you wanted; he was going to ask you out to the Yule Ball. He _did _ask you out. All you had to do was say yes. You could have argued over weather you wanted him to commit or not later, after the ball. Stop being so pushy, your making him feel as if you're backing him into a corner. Look, I don't understand why you girls get so emotional about these things. Hermione looked up at Harry with bloodshot teary eyes.

"Don't lecture me _now_ Harry, I've just lost the boy I was going to marry." Hermione cried as she sat up, and started for the door. Harry blocked and put up a hand to stop her. He noticed everyone in the room was still looking at them.

"Look, I'll talk to Ron; I'll tell him that your just having women's problems or something, he'll…"

"Oh, god Harry!" Hermione said with a disgusted look on her face, and she ran out the door.

"What? What did I say wrong?" Harry yelled to her as she ran out. Suddenly Harry felt several dozen eyes boring into his back. He turned around to see everyone in the classroom staring at him, some with shocked expressions, and some with angry looks. Apparently all the drama at his table had been so loud, and chaotic that everyone else had stopped what they were doing to watch it all unfold. One blond haired, Ravenclaw girl stepped out with a pissed off expression on her face.

"I hope your happy Harry Potter! Since you've come in here, we've lost six people that were supposed to help us with the banners, and decorations today. Your not even a part of the Yule Ball committee, so why don't you get the fuck out, and go stir up shit somewhere else!" she said heatedly.

"Who the hell are you?" Harry asked, a bit pissed off at being blames for the drama of others.

"I'm Nancy Cromwell. I'm the president of the Yule Ball committee, and I don't think that you should come here anymore if all your going to do is cause trouble." She said, a bit of finality in her voice.

"**Fine! I didn't want to be a part of the stupid Yule Ball committee anyway! I only came to be with my friend Hermione, and now I've got no reason to stay." **Harry shouted, angry at being blamed for events that were beyond his control, and he left the room in a huff.

**Two Hours later: The School Library**

The four girls sat at the library table discussing the events that took place at the Yule Ball meeting earlier. Marietta Edgencombe, Lori Sanchez, and Danielle Forester all listened intently to Pansy Parkinson recount the events from a few hours earlier.

"…and that's exactly how it happened Marietta, Potter just came in and pissed off a lot of people, including Padma Patel, Nancy Cromwell, and Beverly Jones of Your house. I mean everyone saw the whole thing." Pansy Parkinson said, recounting what she remembered about the incident at the Yule Ball committee meeting. "A lot of people were really pissed, because, even though we have time to prepare, like six people who he was sitting with, just left angry, soon after he came in the room. Danielle Forester smiled as she sat back in her chair.

"Well Marietta, if this keeps up we won't have to make him look bad, he'll do it all for us himself." Danielle said pleased. Marietta continued to remain silent for a moment. She lowered her head in deep concentration. When she brought her head up again she had an unreadable expression, as she turned to Pansy Parkinson.

"How pissed off was Harry at Padma Patel?" she asked in a very serious tone. Pansy thought about it for a moment.

"Well pretty pissed off I think, I wasn't exactly sure what it was about, but something to do with her going out with Allen Miller, and him not liking Slytherins. Anyway, he got her and her sister very upset. Also Beverly Jones and Nancy Cromwell were pretty miffed at him as well…" Pansy started to continue but was cut off by Marietta.

"I don't care if a bunch of filthy half blood, slime, or Muggle born, Mudblood filth were upset. I was asking about Padma. She's one of us." Marietta said coldly. Pansy raised an eyebrow.

"You mean that she's a society member?" She asked a bit confused.

"No, I mean that she's a pureblood, and Potter may have started an argument with her because of that fact. We have to keep a record of every time that he harasses one of our own, weather they are society members or not. Another thing is that we cannot count on him messing things up on his own," Marietta said. Marietta looked over to Lori, and Pansy.

"Lori, I need you to go to go to your common room and tell Semis Finnigan that I need to see him tomorrow night in our usual place. Please go now." Marietta said with a hint of urgency. As Lori turned to leave out the door Marietta turned to Pansy Parkinson. "Pansy tell Miller what Potter said about him, if you can't remember everything make something up if you need too. I'm sure everyone in you house knows how Potter feels about them, but impress it upon their minds once more. Spread a few rumors about Potter threatening Miller if you need to. Best to go now." Marietta finished. She then waited for Pansy to exit the room, and turned to Danielle.

"Cho hasn't come asking forgiveness yet. I think it's time we started working over her friends, and first and foremost we need to get that queer, Beverly Jones out of the way. I've got to be off for now to see my dear uncle. We need to speed up our plan. I want Cho on our side and Potter expelled as soon as possible. He is really insane you know, and I think that he's going to hurt or even kill a student before Christmas." Marietta said coldly. Danielle's eyes widened.

"Oh, Marietta, surely you don't believe that, that he's capable of doing that! I mean I know he's the enemy, and all, but surely…" Danielle started, but was cut off by Marietta.

"Remember the papers from last year? Well they were right the first time. You know how powerful he is. Harry Potter might have put the imperious curse on the owners, and editors of the Profit. No one knows what he's capable of Danielle. Remember, he's impure. His mother had no magical lineage. But… don't concern yourself with Potter for now, leave that to me. I'm going to talk to my Uncle tomorrow morning. He's going to make it easier to take care of Cho's friends, but the rest is going to be up to you and Pansy. I need to keep attention away from myself for a while. She must use her prefect position to cause Cho's friends as much grief as possible. Give her a hand to mess with people like Cromwell, and any other friends she has in Ravenclaw. Do you understand?" Danielle nodded eagerly. "Good. Then lets go, we have plans to make." Marietta smiled. "So Potter and a pureblood finally had a row. This is the break I've been waiting for," Marietta thought as she walked back to the North Tower. "Things were about to advance more rapidly. How convenient that the argument would be with a pureblood from her own house. Poor Padma, your sacrifice will not go unforgotten. Maybe one day someone will make a statue of you, and put it in the school." Marietta thought to herself happily.


	38. Chapter 38

T-person: Thanks for posting, and I'm trying to crunch down the story, really, but first something bad has to happen between them. I'll get them together eventually, please hang in there.:)

Quillian: Thanks, this one is not much better as far as action, but I'm going to try and make the next one more significant. : )

Froggie2: Thanks for another great review, and believe me I'm suffering too. I just don't have the talent to end things quickly, but I'm trying. But yea, there is drama in the relationship, and she pretty much blew her chances at the ball.

EnlightenedKing: Yes, Miss Jones is a lesbian, and I'll explain in another chapter why her character is important to the story, and why her sexual orientation is important.

Umm Noooo, that was not mostly Cho's fault what happened at Valentines Day. Look I like Harry, I really do, but he was being an arse to everyone in OOTP. He was biting the heads off of Hermione and Ron and everyone else, and he was really cold. We both know that he and Hermione were just friends because we read the story from Harry's perspective, but Cho can't read his mind, and he wasn't very good in trying to explain it to her. Cho maybe should not have brought up Cedric on the date, but it was still affecting her, and she needed Harry to talk to her about it. She was still hurting. Harry was cold to her on the date, and you have to look at it from her perspective. A guy that she cares about has asked her out with plenty of advanced notice, being a girl she probably looked forward to the date for a long time. Harry is cold to her on the date, and doesn't pay attention to her, and fifteen minutes into it he gets up and says that he is going to meet another girl now, and she can come along if she wants. Yes Cho is partly responsible for the disaster, but Harry has the lion's share of responsibility. He should have run after her. I would have spent the day looking for her, or tried to seek her out later to explain.

Thank you so much for the detailed post, and I'm very grateful. I really try hard not to leave any plot holes, but that makes the story longer. I totally agree with you on the Slythern's getting pegged as all evil. My little sister was sorted into Gryffindor, and boast about how all of them are good sometimes, and then I remind her that she's from the same house as the guy that killed Cedric Diggory. This chapter is more filler, but it wasn't intended. I just couldn't get the main points finished. Maybe next chapter.

Okay everyone, well um thanks to all of you who posted. This chapter has Cho worrying about her friends. Marietta plotting about Potter and Cho's friend's fate and more taking the place of people by the shape shifter. The title is sort of what Cho does in the chapter for her friend, but… err well here's the chapter anyway. It was supposed to be exciting, but I ran out of ideas.: ( Maybe next chapter.

**Chapter 38: Running Interference **

Marietta stood with her back against the wall in Filches office taking another drag off her fag (it's what the British call cigarettes, I swear!), as Semis Finnegan's pretender walked into the room. Marietta turned her head to him.

"Your late." She said annoyed. Semis gave her a cold look in return.

"Well it's not easy trying to avoid the ghost, and that poltergeist without an invisibility cloak. I have to scamper from cover to cover, keeping in the shadows." Seamus said. Marietta looked at him seriously.

"We have to take Potter out of action once again, and you have to take his place." Marietta said casually, about to take another drag off her fag. Seamus snatched it from her and brought it to his lips, and a moment later exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"So what do you want me to do this time, start a fight with the Slytheren Quidditch team? Or perhaps smack the school choir around." Seamus said humorously. Marietta frowned.

"Your targets will be more specific. There is a girl in my house named Padma Patel. She is going with Allen Miller, the school head boy. Make sure that Potter threatens them for being pureblood, and even scares them a little. Confront them in private, and tell them that if they go to anyone about what you said that you will deny that the conversation took place, but don't do anything over the top. No over dramatics. I'll have Pansy Parkinson deliver another note from Uncle Filch, for Potter to go to his office, from the middle of one of Potters classes." Marietta said.

"That's not a good idea Marietta! If we do that again the head master may find out and be suspicious of my involvement. I cannot risk it, and I cannot risk allowing other students to hurt each other, like you mentioned doing with that Chang girl's friends." Filch said nervous. Marry gave a slight chuckle.

"Not to worry Uncle, we'll pull Potter out of Snape's class again. It's well known that the two don't like each other. I'm sure that Snape will not question an opportunity to get Potter out of his hair for an hour. Besides, we can use the excuse that Cho's friends and Potter are going to get their anti-flu charms from Madam Pomfrey. Everyone has started getting them anyway. Seamus, it will mean skipping classes for a day, but you can impersonate Madam Pomfrey in dealing with Potter, and Cho's friends." Marietta said satisfied.

"And what of his friends? Surely if we keep doing this then they are going to notice that Potter has his bad attitude every time that he gets a note from me." Filch complained.

"Don't be absurd. Potter first acted crazy on the train coming here, and I didn't even have anything to do with that, then on the Quidditch Pitch, well after he left your office. Yesterday he pissed off several members of the Yule Ball Committee, and again I had nothing to do with that. But we need to move more quickly now. Were running out of time. I'm sure that we all saw the helicopter yesterday, or have heard about it by now. That means that Professor Ian Watson is already in Hogsmead getting everything set up for the first weekend. I'm sure that he'll want a progress report soon. Uncle Filch, you need to go to see him this weekend, and tell him that things are going according to plan. It's not yet time to take care of Potter, but it will be soon enough." Marietta continued.

"But what about the Jones girl? I cannot condone that action. I…" Filch started, but was cut off quickly by Marietta.

"What the hell is wrong with you Uncle? Didn't _you_ always used to tell me about how you used to torcher students who got out of line? Didn't you petition the Ministry of Magic to bring back torcher? Well if you play your part right you'll get to torcher students all the time, but you have to be committed to this. Now all you have to do is write a note to get Potter out of class, and into this office, and get Jones into the hospital room. I don't think that after this I'll be doing it this way again, as there is too much of a danger of Potter being able to get out of it, but this one time we need him here." Marietta finished, and gently took her fag back from Seamus and inhaled deeply, savoring the nicotine in her system, and finally letting out the poison in a puff. "Now, there is also the issue of Beverly Jones and the rest of Cho's friends to deal with. My love. We can take care of Jones tomorrow when you impersonate Madam Pomfrey, and then I'll then have plenty of time to deal with Potter before someone finds her." Marietta said, in deep concentration for her plan.

"_Find her how?"_ Seamus asked curious. Marietta smiled.

"Find her in much worse condition than when she entered the room." She finished. Marietta now turned to Filch. Now Uncle, I got an urgent message from Professor Watson yesterday, and I need to discuss it with Seamus right now, why don't you run along now?" Marietta said mockingly.

"This is my office, why don't you two go run along and find another place to shag!" Filch said very angry that his niece did not give him any respect. Marietta had an offended look on her face.

"Were not going to shag, and if we were I wouldn't have to make anything up about it. Were discussing _eyes only_ society business this morning, and you don't have clearance." She said in an agitated voice. Filch slammed down his hand on his desk, making a loud banging sound.

"Well why the hell don't I have clearance? I've been in the society before you were even a glint in your father's eye. I'm older than you, and I've been here longer than you." Filch said very envious and very bitter. Marietta rolled her eyes.

"Because _you_ didn't come up with a plan to get Potter out of here, because, _I_ came up with the idea to get rid of both he and Dumbledore, and because _I_ am the personal apprentice to Professor Watson. But if you need more reason, _I_ have no hesitation about having that harmless thing buried under your floor, or beating mudbloods, or doing whatever it takes to secure this world for the purebloods. Oh, and one more reason… **I'm not a fucking squib!" **she finished in a scream. Filch looked sincerely hurt, and walked to the door with his head down. He looked over to Marietta with a sad face.

"You really are a horrible little girl. I'm going to eat, be out of here when I get back." Filch said, and closed the door behind him. Seamus hugged Marietta from behind, in a tight embrace.

"He's right you know, you really are a horrible little girl… that's what I love about you." Seamus said kissing her neck. She pushed him away, and turned to face him.

"Not just yet, I really do have society business to discuss with you. You see, I only told my Uncle half the plan about what I want to do between Potter and Padma. I'll need you to prepare something in one of the storage rooms in the dungeons that no one uses. Its storage room number four seven three. Students stay away from it because it always seems to be an attraction for Bogarts. Pansy said she and Draco once had to deal with it in their fourth year, when they tried to use the room to make out in." Marietta said casually.

"So what? I don't think that Potter can be killed by a mere Bogart. I mean their hardly dangerous to any students here." Seamus said not following. Marietta tossed her head, with a slight chuckle.

"It's not for Potter love, but we will need his wand. I think that it's time to demonstrate to the students just how insane and dangerous Potter actually is.

"Hummmm, you know I have a feeling that the more we knock Potter out with memory charms and impersonate him the more he'll remember." Seamus injected.

"What makes you think that love? I'm getting better at memory charms every time I use them." Marietta said confidently.

"It's nothing to do with your ability, or skill… but his. I've been into his mind, and he's not like other people I've impersonated, Muggle, or Wizard. I think the only reason he cannot detect my probing his mind is because of his youth. He just hasn't had enough experience yet. But he will eventually be able to detect me in time," He stated. Marietta gave a bright smile.

"Time my dear, is something that Potter does not have on his side."

**The Next Day: Professor Flitwick's Seventh Year Charms Class.**

The seventh year Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students were hard at work on their first major charms test of the school year. Everyone was in a bad mood because no one received any mail that day, not one owl had flown in from the roof. Professor McGonagall had informed the students that the Ministry of Magic had put a temporary freeze on the owls coming into Hogwarts for an unspecified time due to security reasons. She said it was not certain how long it would be for, but that any owls on their way to Hogwarts would be redirected to the Ministry of Magic, and their contents read by officials to make sure that no dangerous letters entered Hogwarts! Professor McGonagall didn't specify what dangerous letters meant, but said once censored by the proper officials and cleared that they would be forwarded to the students.

Cho was trying not to concentrate on the idea of someone reading her personal mail, and focus on the test at hand. Cho and Beverly had been busy working on their test for the past half hour. Cho had finally been able to get some rest the last few days because she had not been trying to get into the Potions classroom at night. She was also able to concentrate more on her work in class, and not sleep, but because of the time that she missed studying, she was having a lot of difficulty with the test. She concentrated hard, and racked her brain for an answer, but none came to her. Luckily it was a multiple choice test with four possible answers, so she figured she had a one in four chance of getting it right. She marked down her answer to the twentieth question on her parchment with her quill. She was distracted by the door to the classroom opening, and Pansy Parkinson, a sixth year Slytheren Prefect walking into the classroom, and up to the Professor with a Parchment. Cho followed her with her eyes, and turned to watch Flitwick read the parchment. The professor looked at his watch, and scanned the classroom to see who was still working on their test. Suddenly Beverly closed the folder her parchment was in, sat up and walked over to the professor's desk to turn it in for a grade. She was about to go back to her seat when the professor stopped her, and had her wait with him. Cho then went back to her work, but was not making much progress at it. She didn't seem to know the answers to half the problems. When she saw that she had only five more minutes left, she just starting filling in the answer bubbles on her parchment. _Better to have a wrong answer than nothing at all she thought. _

"Times up!" Professor Flitwick shouted. "Will the remaining students please drop their papers on my desk, now." Flitwick said. Cho closed her folderstood up, and walked over to Flitwick's desk to turn in her paper. She noticed that she was the last student to turn her paper in. As Cho passed Beverly she whispered the question of what was going on. Beverly just shrugged, and said that she didn't know. After Cho had sat down Professor Flitwick called Danielle Forester, and Lori Sanchez to the front, and showed Beverly and them the note. He handed it back to Pansy Parkinson, and the four of them left together. Cho had a nervous feeling in her stomach, seeing Beverly leave with the three other girls, that had beaten her to a pulp only days before. She instantly started to walk towards the door after them.

"**And where do you think that your going Miss Chang!" **Professor Flitwick shouted annoyed. Cho stopped in her tracks, and looked at him nervously.

"Professor, I think that… that they are going to hurt Beverly!" Cho said genuinely frightened for her friend.

"What! Why would you _say that_ Miss Chang?" he asked as the rest of the students gasped in surprise. Cho froze not sure of what to say. She had not told anyone about the beating she received from Marietta and her gang.

"Well, I just… have this feeling she's in danger. That's the way that those girls are." Cho said reaching for an excuse that she wouldn't have needed if she had gone to someone earlier about her being beaten. But what could she have told? She had no burses. Cho continued moving toward the door.

"Miss Chang, stop right now! You need to explain this, why do you suspect those students want to do harm to Miss Jones?" Flitwick demanded.

"Because… because they don't like Muggleborn students, and Beverly is Muggleborn." Cho continued, almost at the door.

"Well just because someone doesn't like Muggleborn a student doesn't mean that they are going to do harm to them. Besides Miss Parkinson had a note from Mr. Filch that they needed to see Madam Pomfrey for their flew shots. Now sit back down and we will discuss this after class." The Professor said. Cho looked back at him, and then to the door.

"I'm sorry Professor!" She said, and ran out the door, with Flitwick angrily shouting her name behind her. Cho ran as fast as she could down the hall until she caught up with Beverly and the others**. "Beverly wait!"** Cho shouted. Beverly and the other girls turned to look at her.

"What is it Cho? Are you going to get your anti-flu charm as well?" she asked.

"My what?"

"Your anti-flu charm? Is that why the Professor sent you out of the class too?" Beverly asked.

"Err, no… look Beverly don't go with them! I think they mean you harm." Cho said.

"What are you talking about Chang?" Lori Sanchez, the Gryffindor in the group asked innocently. Cho balled up her hands into fist ready for a fight.

"**You know bloody well what I'm talking about. I'm not letting any of my friends near you after what happened in the library the other day."** Cho said angrily. Beverly was taken aback.  
"What happened in the library the other day Cho?" Beverly asked.

"Yes, what did we do in the library the other day?" Danielle Forester asked.

"**You know bloody well what happened. You beat the shit out of me and threatened my friends. I thought that last part was an empty threat, but… stay the fuck away from my friends' arseholes**." Cho shot angrily.

"Arsehole? How rude Chang. Such foul language!" Pansy said in over dramatic shock. "I'm going to have to take ten points off for that just to teach you a lesson about swearing." Pansy said.

"**Screw you!"** Cho said heatedly.

"Twenty points!" Pansy said. Beverly looked back and fourth at the two confused.

"They beat you up Cho? Really?" she said upset. "When, I never saw any burses, you never told me!"

"That's because it never happened! She's lying." Lori shouted. Beverly turned to face Lori with a pissed off look on her face.

"Watch what you say about my friend Sanchez or I'll send you flying across the room." Lori looked a little frightened.

"Look Jones, she's accusing us of something that we didn't do, I can argue my defense. Where is her proof?" Lori argued back, but was careful not to raise her voice too high.

"Cho's word is the only proof I need." Beverly said stepping toward Lori, who instinctively stepped back. "Well it's not the only proof that one of the **_masters_** will need." Lori shot. "And I'm going to complain to them about Cho falsely accusing us." She said defensively.

"Falsely my arse, you stupid bitch." Cho said pointing an accusing finger at Lori.

"Thirty points!" Pansy put in, "… and you'd better have a look at this Chang." as she handed Cho the parchment that she had handed to Professor Flitwick to confirm the reason for her visit. Cho snatched it from her hand and read it over. When Cho was done she asked why Argus Filch had signed it, instead of Madam Pomfrey. Pansy said that she didn't know, and that it was none of her business, but that she had been given the Parchment, and told by Filch himself, to take it to Cho's class. Beverly now turned her attention to Cho.

"Look Cho, why didn't you tell me that they beat you up, and why don't you have any burses, and why aren't any of them in detention or expelled?" Beverly asked confused.

"**Because it's not true!"** Lori said angrily.

"Shut up Lori! When I want your opinion, I'll give it too you." Beverly said with rage, she turned to Cho. "Well Cho, answer my question." Beverly said. Cho lowered her eyes.

"Well… I… I didn't tell anyone because, I guess it was embarrassing. And I don't have burses, because Marietta healed them." Cho said. Beverly's eyes went wide.

"You went to Marietta for help? I though that she was the last person that you would have wanted help from." Beverly said.

"Oh no Beverly, I didn't go to her for help, she was with them, they beat me up, and she healed my wounds, and said that if I didn't join her that she would hurt my friends. I didn't think that they were serious, but now I'm not sure." Cho said.

"Why did she heal you?" Beverly asked.

"I guess that they didn't want to get in trouble for beating me." Cho said.

"**Miss Chang! You're in a lot of trouble!"** Professor Flitwick said from behind Cho. Everyone jumped and turned to see Professors' Flitwick, McGonagall, and Mr. Argus Filch walking up to them.

"Professor! I think that they were going to hurt Beverly, I had to stop them. The parchment that Miss Parkinson gave to her wasn't even from Madam Pomfrey, it was from Filch" Cho started.

"Chang has been making up stories about us Professors'. She accused us of attacking her in the library. She's just trying to get Jones to push us around." Lori said more brave now that the Professors were here to protect her from Jones.

"And she's been swearing like a sailor too. I took off thirty points for her filthy mouth." Pansy injected. Flitwick turned to Filch. Did you write that pass Filch?" he asked. Filch looked uneasy.

"Err, well yes, Madam Pomfrey was very busy, and asked me to find a prefect to deliver the note to, and well Miss Parkinson was between classes, and so I wrote her a note to bring in the students that she requested. I was under the impression that the students were being given anti-flu shots this week. Is that not true Professor?" Filch asked, ashen faced.

"Well yes, but I didn't know that she was pulling students out of class until just now. I thought that she would do that after last period." Flitwick said. He then looked at Cho. "Miss Chang, what's this about you being attacked in the library by these students?" Cho was about to speak, but was cut off by Lori.

"She accused, us of attacking her the other day in the library, but where are her burses? Not only that but we have witnesses that can prove that she was the one causing trouble in the library that day. There are Ian Lewis, Oliver Skint, and Devin Lewis" Lori said in a hostile tone. "Ask them if you will Professor." She finished.

"They were all in on it too!" Cho said.

"Oh Chang, is every student in the school in on you imaginary beating?" Danielle asked. Danielle then turned to Professor Flitwick. "Professor, can we all go to see madam Pomfrey now. It will prove that she really sent us, and then we can get our anti-flu charms." Danielle said. Professor thought about it, for a second.

"Yes, by all means, lets all go to see Madam Pomfrey, and _confirm the notes purpose,_ after all then we can put Miss Changs fears to rest." Flitwick said.

"What… what do you mean _confirm the notes purpose?_ I wrote it my… my self, surly I can be trusted. I've been with this school over forty years!" Filch said nervously.

"Oh of course we trust you Filch, but Miss Chang has made vary serious accusations, we just need to confirm it for the record. Nothing against you at all. I know that Madam Pomfrey will confirm your story. But I don't think that the poor child will calm herself if we don't do this." Flitwick finished.

The group of Hogwart's students and staff entered the Hospital room to find Madam Pomfrey pushing something into a locker, and struggling to close the door. Finally she slammed it shut by pushing it with all her body weight. That ought to keep you out of the way!" she said.

"Ahem." Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. Pomfrey looked up at everyone surprised to see some of the Masters present.

"Oh, um hello all." she asked.

"Ought to keep whom out of the way?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"What?" Pomfrey replied.

"That will keep whom? What were you talking about?"

"Oh, um just some… err… sheets, which I… needed to put up. Putting them in the locker will keep them out of the way." She said nervously. "Mmmm… may I help you all?" she asked. Flitwick moved forward with the note from Filch to have the students brought from class.

"Can you tell us Miss Pomfrey, did you tell Mr. Filch to have one of the Prefects take students out of class to get anti-flu charms?" Flitwick asked politely. Madam Pomfrey read over the letter, and confirmed that she had indeed instructed Filch to get a student to fetch the seventh years listed on the note.

"You see I have a particular list and it turned out that I had accidentally skipped over a few students. I was just trying to finish off the first part of my list you see. After a brief conversation about Cho's concerns everyone was assured that all was as it should be. Cho was told to apologize to the students, and did so reluctantly.

Professor Flitwick looked at Cho concerned, and gave a great sigh.

"Look Miss Chang, I need to know very seriously. Do you stand by your statement that Miss Sanchez and her fellow students attacked you? Cho looked at Beverly with an apologetic glance for not telling her about the incident. She thought for a minute, and then turned back to Professor Flitwick, and nodded her head.

Yes, sir. All of them except Beverly. She wasn't there, and would never do that sort of thing, because she's my friend, and a good person. Marietta was their leader." Cho finished.

"Well, I think that all of us should go down to the library and have a chat. Pansy, will you go down to my classroom and fetch Miss Edgencombe, I think that she needs to be there as well." Flitwick said. He looked over at the other students. "And the rest of you come along, as well, this concerns you all." Flitwick finished.

"Oh Professors, um… I really did want to finish up with the students anti-flu charms, do you think that they could stay for a short time. I promise that I can have them right down. The Professor looked at his bewitched watch, and then back up at Madam Pomfrey.

"Alright, but please do be quick about it. We need to get this settled before next period. Professor McGonagall and I both have classes with no teacher in them." He said.

"No problem. I'll have them off to the library very quickly. You can even take Miss Chang with you now, she's on the bottom of my list, and I like to take it in order." She smiled. "Oh Mr. Filch may I see you for a moment." Pomfrey called to filch as McGonagall and Flitwick left out the door with Cho. Filch walked over to her and they went to a corner of the room, and the expression of Madams Pomfrey's face changed to one of anger, but she kept her voice quiet as she spoke through gritted teeth.

"What the bloody hell is this fiasco? The masters weren't supposed to come here! This could have exposed us. I wasn't ready, I was just stuffing the bitch in the locker when they came in." she said annoyed.

"It's not my fault. Marietta didn't plan well enough. This was all her idea, what do we do now. We didn't count on the Chang girl raising a fuss. She suspected what Marietta's friends wanted to do. Should we forget about it today?" Filch whispered. Madam Pomfrey sighed.

"No, we'll take care of Miss Jones, but Marietta will have to deal with the rest of Chang's friends without me. I need to focus on Potter. For now he is the only target that maters. Just tell Marietta to meet me in your office tonight. I'll have a few words for her. "Now, go before you're missed, I'll take care of things here. I'll pretend to give the girls anti-flu charms to fool Miss Jones, but they will have to come back here later on their own, because I really don't know how to do them." She said.

"I thought that you could read a persons mind when you became them." Filch said a little too loud.

"Keep your voice down! I would have to lay down and concentrate while I'm going through a persons mind first. But Marietta and Professor Watson trained me in other ways to deal with people. For a short time Miss Jones will appear normal, but, after a while… well I'll just take care of her myself so that Cho's friends don't have to kick her arse." Madam Pomfrey finished. Filch nodded and walked out the door.

One by one the fake madam Pomfrey sat the students in a chair and pretended to cast an anti-flu charm on the students, and one by one she sent them to go to the library to meet with the Professors, until finally Beverly Jones was the only student left. While Beverly Jones waited Madam Pomfrey mixed some potions in a couple of vials. She poured some of the formula into a spoon, heated it over a candle and poured them into a small vile. She then took out a syringe, and placed the needle in the vile, pulling back on the stopper to fill the syringe. She then walked over to Beverly with the needle at the ready. "Now dear I just need you to roll up your arm for me. Beverly looked at the needle nervously.

"What… what are you going to do with that? Everyone else got a charm; they didn't have to get a shot." She said. Madam Pomfrey smiled, and pulled a wand from her pocket. She said an incantation and ropes wrapped around Beverly, and the chair she was in instantly.

"**Hey what's going on here? What are you doing?"** Beverly asked frightened, as she struggled in vein to free herself.

"Oh you're going to get a charm dear, but it's going to be a memory charm, you see I really don't know how to perform an anti-flu charm." Pomfrey said.

"**What? But you're the school healer."** Beverly shouted. Madam Pomfrey put a tea towel in Beverly's mouth to keep her quite.

"Your friend Chang had good instincts not to trust those students alone with you. The plan was for them to beat you senseless first, and then I would inject you with this. Chang has caused me to modify the plan, but the result is the same. For a few days you should be okay, but… well let's just say that the only one who can help you now is Chang, and that's _only if she does exactly what we want._ Too bad that we'll have to be a little more creative when we inject Nancy Cromwell. Chang has been quite a nuisance today, but I can assure you that she'll see things our way soon enough." Madam Pomfrey said with a smile, she waited until Beverly's eyes began to grow heavy and then gave her a memory charm, and sent her to her dorm room to sleep.

"Now Miss Chang, your friends will pay for your stubbornness. But first I have to take care of Potter. Madam Pomfrey looked at her watch.

"Well not exactly how I planed it, but I guess I have no choice. She grabbed a quill, and piece of parchment and began to write a hall pass out. The school bell rang, and students started filling the hall outside. Madam Pomfrey picked a random student out of the crowd.

"You there come here." She shouted at a fourth year Slytheren girl with dark skin, and dark brown hair.

"Me miss?" she asked surprised.

"Yes you, what is your name?"

"Um, Monica Mancera. What did I do?" she asked concerned.

"Nothing, take this note to Professor Snape, and have him sent to Mr. Filches office right away. It's important. About him serving punishment. Go right away." Pomfrey said urgently.

"But Miss, I'm not a prefect, shouldn't you assign a prefect to this job?" she said confused.

"There is not time. Just go, you have the hall pass. Off you go." She finished, closed the door, and locked it.

Madam Pomfrey then went to the locker, and opened it causing the real Madam Pomfrey's unconscious nude body to fall out. She quickly undressed herself, and with great difficulty put the clothes back on the real Madam Pomfrey's body. Then she reached into the locker and pulled out a Gryffindor school uniform that was too small for her. She concentrated and sank to the floor as she melted into the floor in a clear blob. The blob quickly became the form of Seamus Finnegan, and he put on the uniform which now fit perfectly. Seamus looked at his watch; he would have to hurry to beat Potter to Filches office. Dam Chang for the trouble she was starting. _This wasn't how things were supposed to happen._


	39. Chapter 39

Quillian: Thanks again for posting; I hope that I can keep your interest.

T-person: Thanks for hanging in there. Yea, I hope I can convey the badness of Marietta. I've been a bit light so far, but next chapter, she'll get much worse.

AntiBush: Nice Name, thanks for posting. Thanks also for the complements. In regards to Marietta being able to out wit Harry. Well I kind of think of her as a female Voldermort from COS, he was already plotting to kill Muggleborn students, one of which he was successful in killing. Also he was plotting his rise to power at that early age. But as far as him being to extreme for her. She was more saying that for the benefit of members of the society who she feels are not ready to be let in on the even darker planes of the organization. Marietta actually admires You-Know-Who for the way he handles things. She just thinks that he doesn't have enough support to do anything really damaging.

Seamus survives? I'm not sure yet, I haven't decided. Thanks for understanding how Cho feels. If I can't convey her emotion properly than the fic is useless, that's when I'm trying my hardest.

The misspelling is due to priority going to getting out the chapters, I do have a beta reader, and he will eventually catch up with me. So eventually all chapters will be beta read.

EnlightenedKing: Thanks again for another great review. And thanks for adding so much detail. Well Marietta is a very smart girl, she is able to come up with really brilliant evil plans on her own, but needs help implementing them. She has had specialized magical terrorist training of sorts. Not in blowing stuff up, but in covering stuff up.

Dumbledore is often away from Hogwarts looking for You-know-Who, who is indeed not yet looking for a fight, not just yet. Since Voldermort is not in the UK, but in Europe, Dumbledore cannot check on everything going on in the school, like he could have in the books. So really Dumbledore has a lot on his plate so to speak, he has to run The Order of the Phoenix, look for you know who, and go about the daily activities of being a head master. It may just be that Marietta doesn't register when compared to Voldermort. And Marietta's gang isn't that efficient, Marietta is the brains of the group, but the group isn't really going against Harry physically, yet. This is more about attacking someone in a covert way, not just trying to blast them with spells. Marietta isn't going to go up to Harry and challenge him to a duel.

As far as the Valentine thing, look I admit it wasn't the best time for Cho to bring it up, but Cho was dealing with the loss of someone that she loved deeply, and I think that Harry should have understood that. Plus Harry treated everyone badly in that book. He should have been able to see how hurt that she was, and talked to her about it. I mean he went to the three broomsticks that day and told it all to Rita Skeeter, someone he didn't even like! And he couldn't help _Cho_ out? Who had stuck up for him when he wasn't **_The Boy Who Lived. _**No, telling everything to Rita Skeeter after refusing to talk to Cho about it, just kind of blows that theory.

Chang Kuei: Thanks for the post: ) it was great talking to you the other day, and I hope the storm wasn't too bad, that day. I know it was out of character for my story, but Cho has a history of standing up for people that's cannon. Example Harry in OOTP when everyone was against him, and regrettably Marietta when everyone would have been against her. Although I know that she must have privately criticized Marietta in private. But that's what a lot of people do, the whole, Hey you cant criticize my friend for being a dick, and then they go and go off on them in private so they don't embarrassed them in public. But I get the feeling that Cho can get angry if it's her friend under attack, but do to her self-esteem problem when its her it's a different story.

Froggie2: Thanks for another great review; I really appreciate you getting so into the story. Well, Cho doesn't like making a big deal out of what's bothering her, because she just feels that she's bothering people, even if it's people who want to help. But here she felt her friend was in danger, so she felt forced to act.

Hello again to everyone reading this. I think all of you who have posted very much. I receive a lot of complaints about Marietta being to powerful, and I feel I need to explain why she is able to defeat Harry. Marietta does not use brute force to go against Harry, but relies on her wits. Remember is not the brightest kid in school. Lets say that Harry is the second most powerful wizard in the world, power can still be defeated by intelligence, and Just because one force is stronger doesn't mean that another can't defeat it. One only needs to look at history to see examples of this.

The English fire ships against the Spanish Armada.

The Americans during the American Revolutionary war

The Zulu at Islandwana

The Americans at Midway 1942

The British in the Battle of Britain in 1940

These are all classic examples where less powerful forces defeated more powerful forces. In a since I try and add that to the mix. Finally about Marietta and her crew winning a lot, there you have to know something about me, and it may lose me some readers, but I have to be honest: **_I'm a Goth_**, not that I just dress in black. I mean I'm a full on hard core no nonsense pessimist. My philosophy is that the glass is always half empty, there is no silver lining on the dark clouds, and as I look at the examples of history and current affairs, I believe that evil will almost always win over good. Now that doesn't mean that I'm going to have Marietta and her crew win, but that this will be like the Battle of Brittan, that will cause heartache and suffering, and sadness. If Harry and Cho are to be victorious over evil it may come at a horrendous cost, if you want to know if Harry and Cho will win, I myself do not know how I will finish it yet, but I think **_Sir Winston Churchill_** put it best when France had fallen, and the US, and USSR would not enter the fight, and the British stood against the most powerful nation in the world. The British people asked him what chance they had of defeating the Nazi's.

"I can offer you nothing but blood sweat toil and tears." **_Sir Winston Churchill _**

And that is what I offer you, for the road to victory is full of tragedy and despair, but perhaps Harry and Cho can find the love they have for each other, and defeat Marietta and the mysterious Society and save the magic world. Anyway there is one more thing, Marietta since the beginning, has never acted alone. And I'm not talking about the shape shifter either. Just please hang in there. Thanks for everyone's support.

**Chapter 39: Lack of Evidence**

**Cho's POV: **

Professor Flitwick looked at his watch again for the third time, and gave a deep sigh. He was one of the four Hogwart's staff members in the room. Professor McGonagall, Argus Filch, and the Librarian comprised the others. In addition Marietta Edgencombe was in attendance, along with Pansy Parkinson, and the girls who had been taken out of Professor Flitwick's class. Everyone had been waiting in the library for Beverly Jones for fifteen minutes. Finally the student that professor Flitwick had sent to see what had happened came back into the library.

"Madam Pomfrey said that she had finished Jones just moments after she was done with the others, and that she had sent her on her way here. Apart from that she doesn't know what happened to her." The boy said. Professor McGonagall nodded.

"Thank you Mr. Miller, I believe that you have my class next, please inform my students that I will be late, and keep everything in order for me will you please." McGonagall requested.

"Yes Professor, I'll have it taken care of immediately." The boy said, and exited the library just as Hermione, and Lavender Brown were coming in. Professor McGonagall saw the two and told them that the library was closed right now and they would have to come back later for what ever it was that they wanted. They both looked disappointed, but left anyway.

"Well we can't wait for her any longer, let's get this over with. Now Miss Chang, as you still claim that Miss Edgencombe and her friends attacked you in the library, I need to know the exact date, and time that this happened." Professor Flitwick said in a very serious tone. Cho thought hard to remember the approximate time that everything had happened.

"Um it was around lunch, I remember because the bell rang just before Marietta and everyone else came in to harass me." Cho said in a monotone voice.

"You're sure Miss Chang? No mistake, about twelve o clock then?" The Professor asked still very serious. Cho nodded her head.

"Yes Professor, around twelve on Saturday. No mistake." Cho said sure of her self. Professor Flitwick nodded.

"Okay Professor McGonagall, are you ready to see who's telling the truth?" Professor Flitwick asked the Gryffindor head of house. Professor McGonagall nodded, and the two of them began reciting incantations, and blasting to room with green, and pink sparks from their wands. As they did Cho looked at Marietta with a sense of satisfaction, she was feeling good for the first time in a long time because she knew that as soon as the Professors finished what they were doing, it would prove that Marietta and her friends were liars, and she would probably even lose her Head Girl position too. Yes, Cho definitely started to feel good inside, the feeling was one of… justice she thought. Yes justice. The only funny thing was that Marietta was staring back at her with a smile that didn't exactly reflect a look that was filled with fear of getting caught. The Professors continued working, and blasting the walls with spells with their wands for a few more minutes. When they had finished they asked all the students to stand against the walls. Finally Professor McGonagall stepped up to address the students.

"Now there is something that you should all know. Just about everything about this castle is magical. Even the walls have memories. We can bring those memories back into view sometimes, especially the most recent ones. What Miss Chang has accused her fellow students here of is a brutal attack that took place this past Saturday. It was an attack in which she also claims that her friends were threatened with violence as well. The rest of the students in here claim that they did nothing to Miss Chang, and that she is making the whole thing up. _Now,_ through the power of Magic, we shall be able to see who is lying, and who is telling the truth. Professor Flitwick began to wave his wand in a circular motion above his head and red sparks flew across the room. In magic writing, in the middle of the air, a digital clock formed, along with the date of the incident. The clock counted down, as everyone in the room followed the gaze of the professors along the room. They appeared to be waiting for something, but Cho and the others couldn't tell what. After a few minutes of the clock counting down, and nothing happening, Professor Flitwick walked over to Cho. "Miss Chang, are you sure that it was around this time?" He asked. Cho nodded.

"Yes professor. I'm sure of it, what's supposed to be happening?" she asked. Cho's head of house looked at her concerned.

"Well if what you said happened real did take place then the spells we preformed will cause the images from the incident to be repeated. You'll see the entire incident replayed, and it will look real." Professor Flitwick explained. They both looked back to the center of the room, and no images appeared. Professor Flitwick thought for a minute, and seemed to come up with an idea.

"I'll just add a time compression spell." He said. He flicked his wand, and the magical clock sped up at rapid pace. Everyone waited, but still nothing happened. After a few minutes the Professor added another time compression spell and the clock moved even faster. Professors' McGonagall and Flitwick waited until the clock ran to the end of the hour that Cho was supposedly attacked, before dispelling the clock. When they finally finished, Professor Flitwick and McGonagall had very upset looks on their faces. Flitwick's was a look of sadness, and McGonagall's one of anger. Professor McGonagall walked over to Cho.

"Miss Chang, what you have done today is unacceptable. You have falsely accused other students of a very serious crime. I can't tell you how disappointed that I am in you, and can tell you that…" McGonagall started, but was cut off.

"But Miss, it's true, they did attack me, and they did threaten my friends. Maybe your spell didn't work, maybe…" Cho started to reply very upset.

"**Stop it Miss Chang!** There is nothing wrong with my spells and there was no altercation that took place in this library at lunch time. You will have to be punished, and you owe these student's and Mr. Filch an apology." McGonagall said raising her voice. Cho started crying. But… I… didn't… do anything. I… told you the… truth." Cho choked out. Cho turned to Professor Flitwick. "Professor, you believe me don't you?" Cho pleaded. Professor Flitwick looked at her sadly.

"Miss Chang, the spell we cast showed the truth. That nothing happened here during that time. I'm afraid that I have no choice but to put you into student Isolation for two weeks. Tomorrow you will report to Mr. Filch with all your books and supplies. You will study in a classroom in one of the dungeons and…" he began. Cho shook her head, _this wasn't happening! _

"Professor no, I…" Cho started.

"**_And_** you will take your lunch in the dungeon. All your assignments will be brought to you. And also, regrettably, the thirty points take by Miss Parkinson still stands. It will be brought to you, by a house elf. Miss Chang… I'm very disappointed in you… no, actually I'm very hurt by your actions. You always have been my favorite student, hard working, knowledgeable, always helping out other students… _but now_… just report to Mr. Filches office tomorrow after breakfast. Professor Flitwick walked out of the library, and as he passed the other students he told them that they were dismissed. Professor McGonagall then waved her wand around the room, and let green sparks fly out. The clock disappeared, and she also left. Cho scanned the room remembering the attack. She had her back to the door, but she knew instinctively that someone was behind her… and she knew who it was without looking.

"How did you do it Marietta?" Cho said in a monotone voice. Cho could feel Marietta smiling behind her.

"Do what Chang?" Marietta questioned in a girlish voice.

"How did you make it to where they couldn't see what really happened. How did you hide the beating you and your lot gave me last Saturday?" Cho continued.

"Don't know what you're talking about Chang, my friends and I were never in the library last Saturday. You must be lying. Well, I've got to be off to class now. Have fun in student isolation tomorrow. See you in two weeks." Marietta finished.

"**Marietta!"** Cho called without looking at her.

"What is it Chang." Marietta replied.

"We both know what really happened here. I'm going to find proof, and everyone will know the truth." Cho said.

"Hump. You're delusional _Slant_. Better watch those false accusations. I am still Head Girl you know. And although I would hate to take points off my own house, you may just force me too. _Goodbye_." Marietta replied, and walked out the door, leaving a depressed Cho to fully take in her punishment.

**Harry's POV:**

Harry Potter stood outside Filche's office, with the note that Madam Pomfrey had given to the Slytheren girl to show Professor Snape. Harry had been as glad to leave Snape's class as Snape was to have him leave, but Harry was confused at the reason for his summoning here to Filche's office, by the school healer no less. He rapped on the door, and it opened a crack. A voice beckoned him in, but it was not Filche's. This was a familiar voice with a thick Irish accent. Harry walked in the office, and quickly spun around as some one immediately closed and locked the door behind him. "Seamus!" Harry said surprised to see his classmate in the office. Seamus had not been to class all day, and no one had seen him anywhere in the school.

"Hello Potter, what brings you here?" Seamus asked.

"Well a Slytheren girl sent a note from madam Pomfrey for me to come here. Why are you here, and where have you been all day?" Harry said.

"Oh, I've been preparing things for this all day Potter." Seamus said with a smile, as he raised his index finger to point at Harry. Suddenly Harry's instinctively thought that he was in danger, and reached for his wand, he was fast, but not fast enough. A string of something jetted out from Shamus's finger attaching to Harry's head. Suddenly the world became dark and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Harry felt dizzy; he stared down at the papers that were on the desk in front of him. He tried to concentrate on what had happened to him. He looked around the room. Filch was working on some paperwork at his desk. Harry looked more closely at his own paperwork. He was filling out daily reports of the castle cleaning, and writing a list of incidents that had happened in the castle for the week. _How long have I been doing this? _Harry thought to himself. _I don't even know what I've been doing here. Look at this paper. I must have filled out half of the reports already. I don't even remember doing it._ Harry looked back to Mr. Filch who looked at his watch, closed the folders that he was working on, and looked down at Harry.

"Mr. Potter, you may go. I think that you have served enough time for using foul language in the hall, but I hope that you can understand that this type of behavior will not be tolerated at Hogwarts. Do you understand Mr. Potter? Harry felt light headed, he barley remembered anything after arriving at Filches office. Harry nodded his head.

"Yes, Mr. Filch. Sorry about that." Harry said. As Harry walked out the door of Filche's office. As it closed behind Harry he looked over to see Peeves, the Hogwarts poltergeist waiting outside.

"**What was in the office Potter? What was in the office? Tell your good friend Peeves!" **Peeves pleaded. Harry tried to concentrate.

"Well, I don't know, just… normal stuff, like desk, and file cabinets, and chairs. He had me working on the reports for punishment for swearing. But I barely remember doing it." Harry said to a disappointed Peeves as he left to go to the great hall for dinner. He sat down by Ron and Ginny who both looked at him with shocked faces.

"What? What's wrong?" Harry asked concerned.

"Well Harry, did you talk to Parvati Patel's sister Padma, today?" Ron asked.

"Um, I don't really remember. I don't think so. I barely remember anything in detail that happened after going to Filches office today. Why do you ask?" Harry replied. Ron looked very concerned.

"Well Harry Parvatie's sister said that you threatened her and Allen Miller, today after the last period, and their fuming mad at you. You didn't, did you?" Ron asked.

"**No!** Come on Ron do you think that I would ever do anything like that?" Harry said a little offended. Ron shook his head.

"Of coarse not. But Parvati and her sister think that you did, and they are really pissed off. I didn't see you for a while, and you were acting a bit strange after you came back from his office that first time. What happened when you went there?" Ron asked. Harry again concentrated, trying to focus on a clear memory of the events.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. I mean my memories are very fuzzy. I remember that I was accused of swearing in the halls, and I remember doing it. I remember going to all my classes, but I don't remember any details, it's like their someone else's memories. Like everything that happened today was a dream. There is some missing time. I don't remember any faces, or anytime in between class, very well. It was if everyone were just shadows that I passed. I don't even remember studying anything in particular. My memories are like… I studied transfiguration… but have no memory of what I studied about it." Harry said upset at not being able to bring up any clear memories. Ron thought for a minute.

"Look Harry, I really think that you need to go see Dumbledore about this. Something strange is going on this year. I'm not sure what it is, but it's long since past time that you talked to him." Ron said. Harry nodded.

"Your right Ron. I'll go see him in a few days. I just… I'm still mad at him. I still have issues." Harry said, as he reached for his goblet.

**The Next Day: After Breakfast**

Cho stood outside the student Isolation classroom door with her books, and supplies waiting for Mr. Filch and Professor Flitwick to arrive. She was depressed and leaning against the wall, trying to think of how Marietta could have made it so that nothing appeared when the Professors cast their spells in the library. _"She's just a school girl like me. Smarter, but… could she do this on her own?" _Cho thought.

"Hey Cho what's up!" came a friendly voice. Cho looked up to see Stephanie Burt walk up beside her with an arm full of her own books.

"Oh, hey Steph. What's up?" Cho asked softly.

"Well I'm joining you today." She smiled. Cho raised an eye brown in surprise.

"You're joining me? Why?" Cho asked.

"Well I smarted off to Professor Snape yesterday. He asked me why I couldn't concentrate in class that day, and I told him it was because it was boring. Then he said that if I thought that I could do any better than why I don't go to the front and teach. Well I walked up and started, and he gave me a choice, lose fifty points for Ravenclaw, or isolation for two days, but I don't care it got a laugh, and got me a few pats on the back. That guys a real jerk. How long are you in for?" Stephanie asked.

"Two weeks." Cho said quietly. Stephanie's eyes widened.

"Holy shit! Two weeks, what the hell did you do to get two weeks." She asked in amazement.

"It's a long story, I… I got into trouble because Professor Flitwick thought I was lying about something, and I don't have any proof yet that I'm not." Cho said.

"Wow you got into trouble with Flitwick, and he gave you two weeks, must have been serious." Stephanie Burt said shocked. Two other students walked up behind Stephanie with arms full of books. The boy was in the year below Cho and Steph, he had blond hair, and a frown on his face. Both were in Slytheren. Stephanie recognized them instantly.

"Oh, hey Chinexican, hey Draco, what are you two doing here?" She asked.

"We got in trouble the other day for um, making out between classes. So Filch gave us four days detention in isolation." She said irritated. Fortunately this is our last day it's boring as hell.

"Your name is Chinexican?" Cho asked curious.

"Oh Cho, these are my friends Draco, and Monica. Her nickname is Chinexican, because she's half Chinese, and Half Mexican. Her Parents emigrated here from Mexico. Guys this is Cho Chang." Stephanie said introducing everyone.

"Oh, you're Chinese as well? No offence, but you would never know it." Cho asked. Looking at the girl she didn't look Chinese at all. She was pretty, her skin was very dark, even more than Cho's, but she had round eyes, and a pointy European nose.

"None taken, in fact I'll consider it a complement, owed to my fathers dominate genes. I hate flat noses, and squinty eyes. I would hate to look like that." The girl said happily, oblivious to who she was talking too. Cho suddenly became self conscious, and felt her nose with one hand.

"Professor Flitwick and Mr. Filch walked up, neither looking any too pleased. Filch pulled some keys from his pocket, and unlocked the door. Everyone was beckoned inside the room. Cho walked through the door, behind Stephanie. This was Cho's first time in student isolation. The room was very large. In the middle of the room sat a single desk and chair facing the far wall. Along the walls were several smaller desk and chars facing the walls. Each desk was blocked off by partitions on either side. Professor Flitwick who was normally know as the friendliest staff member in the school had a grim angry look on his face now, as he stood facing the students before him.

"Now for those of you who have never been in isolation before I'm going to give you the rules and for those of you who have been in isolation before… I'm going to impress it upon your minds one more time. Now First of all there is to be no talking at anytime while you're in here. This room has been jinxed with a special spell that will seal your mouth shut all day if you try and speak to another student. There is to be no note passing in this room. Any notes written will instantly fly over to Mr. Filches desk upon completion. You will not look behind you for any reason. If anyone has to go to the rest room at anytime, you will raise your hand, and wait for Mr. Filch to come up to you, and give you permission to go. It will be one at a time, and you are expected to be back very quickly. **Lunch! **You will not be going to the great hall for lunch, it will be brought to you by a house elf from the kitchen. You will complete all the work assigned to you each day. All your assignments have been readied by all the masters, and are waiting for you on Mr. Filche's desk. Pick them up now." Filch finished, as everyone grabbed a folder with their name on it. "Now you will not be allowed to sit next to each other lest you forget about the jinx, and feel compelled to talk. Your detention for the day ends just before dinner. Burt you take desk number one, Malfoy number three, Chang…" Flitwick suddenly had that same disappointed look from the other day in his eyes. It hurt Cho to see it. Chang, you take number five, and Manceria, number seven. Mr. Filch will be here to keep you all company, and I don't ever want to see any of you here again after you have served your detentions, is that understood?" Filched finished. The students nodded, as they headed to their desk. Cho looked to her left and could see nothing but a wooden partition with some graphite on it. In front of her was a wall of black stone, she turned to her left and all she could see was another wooden partition with more graphite from students who had been in the same situation over the years. Cho began to read some as she opened her books, and got ready to study.

"**_George was here, but now he's gone, he's left this place to carry on, those who knew me, knew me well, and those who didn't can go to hell." _**Cho glanced back at another one on her left side that was older, and could barley be made out, and her eyes went wide as she read the name of its author.

"**_Mr. Filch is a stupid piece of troll dung and Snape is a stupid sneak." James Potter. _**Cho smiled, she would tell Harry about it, after her detention, and maybe he could come over and have a look when the room wasn't in use. Maybe he would like that, she thought, as she started in on her homework.

**Harry's POV**

"Harry was walking down a busy hall on his way to dinner, when Allen Miller suddenly ran up to him and pushed him up against the wall, causing Harry to bang his head. Miller pinned him against the wall with one hand while the other was held up in a fist, ready to strike.

"**Hey Potter, want to make another threat against me and my girlfriend?"** Miller said angrily.

"What are you talking about Miller? I've never threatened you or your girlfriend!" Harry said defensively. This seemed to infuriate Miller to the point of his face turning red.

"**Liar!** You threatened us just yesterday! Don't like most purebloods do you? Well Padma asked me to just let it go yesterday, and because she was with me I didn't take care of you, but now that she's not around I'm going to kick your arse as a lesson not to go around threatening people. _Especially me and my girlfriend!_" Miller said with rage, as several students looked on in shock. Harry pushed Miller away.

"Get off me you stupid Slytheren git! I didn't say shit to you and Padma. You're the one who's lying!" Harry shouted. Miller slammed his fist into Harry's head, causing him to fall to the hard rock ground of the dungeon. Harry immediately got back up and ran at miller full force crashing his head into Miller's stomach. Miller doubled over and Harry caught him with a fist just above the left eye, causing him to stagger back, holding his head in pain. Suddenly Harry was aware of chants of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" From the students around them. Miller came back with a right swinging fist that Harry knocked away. Harry slammed his fist into Miller's right eye sending him toppling over. Harry then pulled Miller up, and penned him against the wall.

"Look Miller, cut this out, I didn't do anything!" Harry said proclaiming his innocence.

"Ha! You said that you would deny everything to both of us yesterday. Said that no one would believe our word over The Boy Who lived! Well fuck your title Potter! I couldn't care less what the call you. I'll still kick your arse. You said that you would take care of us when we lest expected it, well I'm always going to be ready for you Potter." Miller said.

"Miller, I never said that I…" Harry began, but was cut off.

"**Hey everyone!** Professor Sprout is on her way here, Potter, Miller, you'd both best better clear out if you don't want to get suspended for fighting." A fourth year Huffelpuff boy said pointing down the hall. Miller looked at Harry.

"This isn't over Potter! I'm going to find you the first Hogsmead weekend, and we'll finish this. And if you lay a hand on Padma, I'll kill you." Miller said with barely controlled rage, and took off in the opposite direction of where Professor Sprout was said to be coming from. The other students started to clear out as well. Harry felt his head; he was lightly bleeding from a slight cut.

"Shit." He said, and ducked into a nearby bath room to avoid the Professor, and to perform a healing spell on himself. He stuck his wand to his head, and said a simple healing incantation. An orange spark came out of his wand, but nothing happened. Harry looked at his wand, it wasn't broken, but something felt different about it. He had not had to use it all day, so he hadn't noticed it before, but something just seemed different. It looked just like it had before. Harry held it up to the wound again, repeating the incantation, but again only a light spark came out. Harry shook it in frustration, and tried again. Nothing. "_What is going on?_" He thought to himself. _"Should I go to Dumbledore about this? No, who then? I have to tell someone. Professor McGonagall, She'll know what to do. First thing in the morning."_


	40. Chapter 40

Quillian: Thanks for the complement. Now it gets dark.

T-person: Thanks for the complement. I'm sadly not to familiar with the war of 1812, I'll have to look into the tactics used to defeat a more powerful force. Were you referring to a specific battle? And if so could you send me the name of the battle: Thanks.

Froggie2: Me too, but I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this. I'll try and finish as soon as possible. Take care.

AntiBush: You're well versed in History, but the Battle of Britton was a great example of the smaller less powerful force beating the more powerful force. The Luftwaffe outnumbered the RAF five planes to one. I agree that the Germans turning on London was a luck break for the British, but, that wasn't the only thing that saved them. It was skill, Intel, and courage. Yes, Marietta has all the knowledge, and Harry is clueless, because he's thinking that it's Draco, working with You-Know-Who. As I recall there was a lot of strategy used at Roark's Drift, and maybe they were not facing as many Zulu, but still about two hundred men against several thousand is quite an achievement. Have you been to the mission station? Did they preserve it as a museum station or something like that?

Well, this is my new chapter. It takes place the night of the last one. I'll try to finish. If I don't then try to imagine that Harry and Cho have a happy ending. Thanks again for posting.

**Chapter 40: Torment in Room #473**

**That Night: One o'clock in the morning**

Marietta and Seamus walked carefully and quietly down the sixth story corridor of the North Tower, until they came to the fourth door down. They gently and slowly pushed open the door and slipped into a room of sixth year Ravenclaw girls, who were fast asleep in their beds. There were four beds, like in all the other common rooms, each with their curtains drawn. One of the figures moved up to the first bed, and moved the curtain away with one hand as they pointed their wand at the sleeping girl with the other.

"Quiesco Profundus," Marietta said quietly. A white beam shot out of the wand and into the sleeping girl. She twitched for a moment, but was then very still. The flash started to awaken a second girl across from her, and she sat up quickly, but Seamus softly repeated the same spell, and the girl fell back lightly in her bed. Then they moved independently to the last two beds in the room and repeated the spell on the last two girls. When they had finished they pulled the curtains back on the last four post bed, pulled the sheets down and looked down at the unconscious figure of Padma Patel. The female used a stiffening spell to straiten her body like a board, and then a levitation spell to raise it from her bed. Marietta then moved to open the door, and look into the corridor, as Seamus pushed the unconscious body of Padma by the shoulders up to the door.

"Okay, it's clear, let's go. Marietta whispered, as she stepped quietly down the hall, and moved to the top of the stairs. She waited for Seamus to catch up to her. "Wait here." She said softly.

"Where are you going?" Seamus asked. Marietta spun around, and put a finger to her lips.

"Shuuuu. Look I've got to go cover up the evidence as we leave. The masters are sure to do the same thing that they did yesterday, and try to find out how she got out of her room, after they find her. There can be no trace of what really happened here. Now take her down stairs, I'll be along in a few minutes." Marietta said in the softest whisper. She then went back into the room that they had just left and began casting spells, to erase the memory of what had occurred there.

Seamus stood down stairs for the next several minutes, waiting for Marietta to finish, the body of Padma hovering beside him. He looked at the unmoving paintings that she had zapped with her wand to freeze them, just like she had done with the painting of the soldier and his lady outside the common room. Finally Marietta came back down the stairs zapping the walls, ceiling and floor behind her as she did. Marietta continued this process as Seamus pushed Padma out the secret common room passage. When they were both out in the hall Seamus turned to Marietta.

"Now what? You can't zap everything while we go down the halls, it would take to much time!" He said anxiously.

"Not to worry love. Just catch Patel as I get rid of the levitation spell." Marietta said as she pulled out her wand and dispelled the levitation charm. Padma started to fall, as her legs hit the ground with a light thud, but Seamus was able to keep her upper body from hitting the floor. "Hold her up." Marietta said to Seamus to make sure that the coast was clear. Seamus held her up by hooking his arms under her, as Marietta also dispelled the sleep charm that Padma was under. Marietta lightly slapped her to wake her up, and Padma groggily opened her eyes. Marietta then pulled out her wand and held it too her head.

"What… what's going on?" Padma asked sleepily, just before she was hit by a memory charm that made her quite for a minute.

"Now you think that were heading to a party and that Allen Miller is waiting for you. You will be quite because it's after curfew, and you don't want to get caught." Marietta said in an authoritive tone.

"Yes, I'm going to see Allen." Padma said sleepily. Marietta then produced her invisibility cloak, and motioned Seamus to get next to Padma. Marietta then began zapping the surrounding area with her wand, blue sparks flashing out. When she was done she moved herself under the invisibility cloak on the other side of Padma. They moved through several corridors and stairways down into the dungeons, at a slow pace. Padma was slowing them up, as she was still "drunk" from the memory charm. They kept a steady pace however, stopping only once when the Bloody Barron, the ghost of Slytheren house floated by. After what seemed an eternity they finally arrived at their destination; **_storage room number four seven three._** They all moved inside, and Marietta closed the door behind them.

"Luminous, Marietta said, and her wand lit up a room full of boxes, old desk, and file cabinets. In the center of the room sat a single wooden chair. Marietta guided Padma over to it, and sat her down. Padma looked around at the room, everything had dust on it, and it looked as if it hadn't been used for a long time. Marietta lit two torches hanging next to the door with her wand to bring additional light into the room.

"What's going on Marietta? Where is the party?" Marietta raised her wand again and magical ropes appeared around Padma, and bound her to the chair. A second spell caused a gag to appear in her mouth, to keep her quite. Padma's eyes showed the fear that her voice could not convey, she struggled in vain to free herself from the ropes, and tried uselessly to cry for help. Marietta now turned to Seamus.

"Now love, lets start looking for that Bogart." Marietta said as they both started looking around the boxes, and other clutter in the room. They had been searching for ten minutes when finally Seamus saw a file cabinet shaking in a corner.

"There!" he said pointing to the object. Marietta levitated it around the room, and brought it down to ground next to the wall that Padma was facing. Seamus held his wand up, and looked at Marietta. "Open it now?" Seamus asked. Marietta scoffed.

"Of coarse not… Padma and I have some chatting to do first." Marietta said as she pulled a chair over to where Padma sat. Marietta sat down in front of the girl that she had tied up. "Now Padma, I just wanted to say that I have absolutely nothing against you. You're a pureblood and I highly respect you for that. I would have loved to have you in our organization, but alas it wasn't meant to be. But don't worry in the future your family will be taken care of, and might even be leaders in a grand new society that excludes all _but our own kind_. Now, I'm going to take the gag out of your mouth, but I need you to be very quite. If you scream I'll have to hit you with a jinx, do you understand?" Marietta said casually. Padma nodded. "Good!" Marietta said happily as she took off the gag. Instantly Padma erupted into a fit of anger.

"**What the hell do you think your doing Marietta? Have you lost your mind, you can't keep me tied up here, and what's all this crap you're babbling about new societies, and our own kind?"** Padma said loudly. Marietta held up a finger to Padma's lips.

"Shuuu, don't bother with it. I'm going to tell you a story now about Bogart's. Now Bogart's are amazing creatures. They become your worst nightmare when you encounter them, but they are no danger to older children, or adults, because they are simple to get rid of you just flick your wand, imagine it looking silly in some way, and say **Ridiculous**, and they are completely harmless, and any children not old enough to have a wand are simply taught to avoid them. Bogart's also don't bother people too much anyway, because their ability to become the worst nightmare of the person is merely an evolved defense mechanism. You see I've been doing some reading of late, and I found that out. Now a Bogart will attack something right in front of it because it may feel threatened. But like I said any witch or wizard with a wand can get rid of it, just by a wave of a wand and a simple incantation…" Marietta explained, but was cut off.

"**Marietta I don't give a shit about Bogarts', we learned that in my third year, so what? You want to see if I can perform the spell? Is that why you tied me up?" **Padma screamed. Marietta slapped her hard across the face. Padma was quite, but had a pissed look on her face.

"_Two things_, first I told you to keep your voice down, and second I don't like being interrupted. Now where was I… oh yes, as I was saying, Bogarts are hardly a threat if you have even the most basic training in Defense against Dark Arts… _and a wand._ But what if you didn't have one, and then what would you do Padma?" Marietta asked her voice becoming more sinister.

"I would just avoid it; they leave you alone if you don't bother them. They only attack if you crowd them in." Padma said. "Now untie me now Marietta and I won't kick your arse. I have to meet my boyfriend at a party." Padma said angrily. Marietta sighed.

"Yea, I don't think that you're going to make that party. You see that file cabinet? There's a Bogart in there, and someone is going to kill you with it tonight." Marietta said. A look of terror came over Padma's face.

"What? Marietta… please let me go." Padma said her voice changing to one of nervous pleading. Marietta smiled at her, and walked around behind the chair. She then turned around facing the back of Padma's head. Marietta leaned in close to Padma's ear, and whispered softly.

"It's going to be a really horrible, tragic death too. Your probably going to be the first person in five years to be killed by a Bogart. Imagine that… _to be killed by your worst nightmare. _Padma started breathing heavily, as she looked back at Marietta and struggled again to free herself. She pleaded to be let go, still not believing that Marietta was serious, but genuinely being creeped out by Marietta's scary tone and behavior. Padma started to cry.

"Marietta please let me go, I won't tell anyone that you tied me down in here, and I just want to go back to my room. Marietta suddenly gave Padma a tight hug from behind that made Padma think that she intended to let her go.

"Ooooh Padma, you don't know how sorry I am that this has to happen. Your family is pureblood, and we need people like you, but… but we need Potter out of school, and sacrifices must be made. Sort of like wizard chest you know. Sometimes you have to sacrifice the important pieces to put the king in check. I will miss you, even though we didn't talk much I will miss having any pureblood in my house." Marietta said softly, and then kissed Padma on the cheek.

"Marietta, we don't have time for this, you haven't ghost proofed this room yet, do it now or one of them could float by at any moment and discover us." Seamus said agitated. Marietta rolled her eyes.

"Oh, alright love. Oh! You did zap everyone in Potter's dorm room with the sleeping spell tonight right?" Marietta asked concerned.

"Yes of coarse, just like we did with her and her friends. They'll still be out by the time I get back with Potter's wand." Padma noticed for the first time that is was Seamus Finnegan in the room with Marietta.

"Finnegan, please, you're a friend of my sister, you wouldn't do anything to harm me right? Please make her let me go! I'm scared." Padma pleaded. Seamus seemed not to hear her, or not to care. Marietta looked around the room one last time.

"Alright, let me take care of something first." Marietta said as she walked over to the wall adjacent to the corridor. Marietta waved her wand and cast a spell removing a single black brick from the middle of the wall. She grabbed it and set it on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Seamus said visibly upset. Marietta turned her head, tossing her hair.

"Well I want to watch this from outside. I've never seen anyone killed by their worst nightmare before. Should be fun." Marietta said casually.

"**What are you talking about! Oh god!" **Padma started screaming**… "Help, help, their going to kill me!"** Marietta ran over to Padma, and covered her mouth with her hand. I thought that I told you to _be quite!_ Marietta said through gritted teeth. Padma mumbled something incoherent through Marietta's hand.

"What was that Padma?" Marietta asked. Padma repeated something but because Marietta had her hand over her mouth she could not be understood.

"Ha, opps, forgot. Now if you promise not to scream, I'll remove my hand, if you do scream, I'll take away your voice… understand?" Marietta asked. Padma nodded tears streaming from her eyes.

"Good then are we agreed that you won't scream?" Marietta asked. Padma again nodded her head, and Marietta lifted her hand.

"Marietta please don't kill me, you said you liked purebloods, I'm a pure blood, you'll be killing one of your own, look I'll join your society thingy, please I want to live, please don't kill me!" Padma pleaded for her life.

"Oh, but dear… I'm not going to lay a finger on you, neither is Seamus, you're going to be killed by _Harry Potter_." Marietta said with a sadistic smile.

"What, are you kidding me? Harry would never do that." Padma said.

"Oh, I'm afraid that he would, he already almost killed Cindy Miggins, and threatened you and Miller. I'm afraid that he's gone _quite insane_. But you'll have a chance to talk with him yourself; after all… he brought you down here." Marietta finished her voice light and cheerful. Padma looked up at her with disbelief.

"Marietta… you two brought me here." Padma said still crying. Marietta smiled and ran her hand through Padma's dark hair, while raising her wand with the other.

"No dear, Harry Potter brought you here. Let me help you remember." Marietta finished. She recited a memory charm, and a yellow beam emitted from her wand, and covered Padma's head. "Now, your last memory was that Harry Potter convinced you that he had apologized to Allen Miller for threatening you, and had invited you to a party down here where Allen Miller was waiting for you, but when he brought you down here he tied you up, and left you for a moment. Do you understand?" Marietta asked.

"Yes, Potter invited me down here, and tied me up." Padma said in a slurred voice. Marietta smiled.

"Good girl and you don't remember ever meeting Seamus or myself tonight at all. You met Harry after you snuck out… got it?" Marietta finished. Padma nodded. Marietta then proceeded to clear up any evidence in the room, with the spell to cover up evidence that she had used so often. She shot sparks over the ceiling, walls, and floor. Finally she went to the wall where she had removed the brick, and added a glass pain to it.

"How long do we have before the spell wears off, and they would be able to see things that happen in the room again Marietta?" Seamus asked concerned.

"Only moments, so, get under the invisibility cloak with me now!" Marietta, said. Seamus did so and they moved out of the room, and over to the outside wall to where the window made by Marietta was positioned. Seamus looked at Marietta under the cloak.

"How much evidence will be erased? Everything?" He asked.

"Everything for about two to three hours before, but it doesn't matter, because nothing much happens in the room anyway. The time we were in there will be erased." Marietta replied.

"But it will not show that Potter tied her up. If the Masters look at her in there with their magic, it will show Potter walking in and finding her in there, but not going in with her." Seamus said. Marietta rolled her eyes. It would have cost too much time, and we don't have that. Besides if you explain everything as Potter, then they won't worry about it. Just be convincing. Now we should wait about ten minutes to make sure that when the masters eventually find her that they see Potter enter the room. Now turn into him, and get ready." Marietta finished. Seamus dissolved into a clear blob, for a moment, and then reformed into a naked Harry Potter, his clothes had fallen through his blob form, but he was still under the cloak. He carefully put the clothes back on underneath it, but it was hard to do, his legs stuck out several times. After he had finally been able to get dressed under the invisibility cloak, Marietta had decided that enough time had passed. The figure that was now Harry Potter lifted off the cloak so that only Marietta was concealed, and entered the room. As before Padma was tied to the chair, and struggling to get out, with no effect. She looked up, not surprised to see him, after all in her mind it was Harry Potter who had tied her up.

"**Harry, let me out of here! Why did you tie me up? Why have you brought me here? This isn't the party, and I'm scared."** Padma said with a quivering voice.

"**I tied you up Bitch**… because, I hate purebloods like you. You people act like your better than everyone else, and I take a lot of flack from the Slytherins about not being completely pure. That's why I zapped that Slytheren boy on the train, and that's why I'm going to hurt you. You and Miller think that you can yell at me and get away with it? Do you know how angry I was? That was insulting, arguing with me like that. I'm going to make all you purebloods pay; I'm going to make sure that there is no place in the wizarding world for any of you. One by one, I'm going to take you all out." Harry said angrily to a sobbing Padma. She looked up at him.

"Harry what are you talking about? Your best friend is a pureblood. You don't have anything against us! Why are you doing this?" Padma pleaded, her face turning pale. Harry gave her a sinister smile.

"You see though Padma, that's just it. If my best friend is a pureblood, then no one will suspect that _I'm_ the one who's about to start killing the other purebloods, and lead the non purebloods against everyone. Of course, there are a few other Muggleborn and half bloods working with me, but it's my grand design to get rid of you people. It's partial revenge for all the crap I've taken from Slytheren all these years. My revenge will be getting rid of all of you." Harry boasted. Padma looked at Harry with disbelief.

"Harry, you and Ron, and my sister and me… we all went to the Yule ball together the year before last, you're not yourself. What's going on?" Padma pleaded.

"You made me look bad in the Yule ball committee, that's what's going on! And you have to be punished for that. That's what's going on. Do you really think that you can do that to me and I wouldn't do anything about it?" Harry said angrily.

"Harry I'm sorry, I didn't know… that it upset you so much, I'll apologize in front of… the whole committee, I promise, just please let me out of here." Padma pleaded again with tears flowing down her eyes.

"Too little, too late!" Harry replied with rage. He took the chair across from Padma. "Now I'm going to tell you why I really brought you down here, why I lied to you about apologizing to Allen Miller, and how I'm going to kill you Padma. Harry went into a brief summary about Bogart's, which was _almost_ word for word what Marietta said before she erased the memory from Padma's mind. Marietta looked at them through the window, and then glanced at her watch. It was getting very late.

"Hurry up you fool!" she whispered to herself. Finally Harry walked behind Padma, and pushed her chair up closer to the shaking file cabinet. Everyone could imagine the Bogart getting nervous. Padma still struggled to get out of her chair, crying hysterically at knowing her intended fate. She begged for her life, but Harry said nothing. Harry used his wand to levitate the chair even closer to the cabinet. Marietta watched with a smile, she felt excited, and a little guilty because of it, Padma being a pureblood and all. But she was almost drooling at the mouth with anticipation. Harry raised his wand a final time and backed away from Padma.

"What's your biggest fear Padma?" He asked. Padma said nothing, but looked up in horror at the file cabinet in front of her. Harry pointed his wand at the cabinet. **"Alohomora!"** Harry shouted and in the same instant the drawer to the cabinet opened and, the deadly swarm came out. The initial scream, and those that followed it, sent chills up Marietta's lovers spine, and he left the room swatting away the objects of Padma's torment. He closed the door behind him, and felt around for the invisibility cloak. He found it quickly by the window. Marietta hadn't moved from her spot. She looked transfixed at the spot where Padma sat dieing a horrible death. Finally she looked down. Harry had turned into the blob, as soon as he was under the cloak, and then reformed into Seamus.

"Disgusting! Poor girl. I didn't know it would be that bad." Seamus said genuinely horrified. Marietta looked back through the window one last time, and turned to Seamus with a look of euphoria on her face.

"Fascinating creatures Bogarts… Fascinating!" she said overjoyed. Seamus looked at her as if she were a stranger to him, it was one of the worst deaths that he had encountered in his long life, but Marietta seemed to enjoy every minute of it. Suddenly her lover felt slightly afraid of Marietta.

"Come on, we have to get back to our respective common rooms. I have to pretend to sleep, and you have to change the paintings back." He said. Marietta nodded.

"Very well love. I'll leave you now, and take the cloak. After I've gone turn into Potter, and go back to your dorm. Don't try to keep to the shadows this time. If someone catches you out, just run back to your dorm room where the real Potter is, and they can deal with you, err him then." The two murders went their separate ways, the shape shifter once again having to redress after transitioning to his blob form and back to Potter. Finally he made it to the Portrait of the fat lady and gave the pass word. From there he made his way to his dorm room, and made sure that everyone was asleep. He looked at Harry for a moment; he was tossing in his sleep and telling Allen Miller that he didn't mean what he was saying.

"Poor bastard; The nightmare you'll have in great detail tomorrow." The fake Harry said to the real Harry. Fake Harry took out Harry's wand and placed it on the nightstand next to the one that he had planted on Harry the last time that he was in filches office. Harry than took the fake wand and walked over to the window. He opened the window, and threw the wand out. Harry then melted to a blob, and then reformed as Seamus Finnigan, and crawled into bed, and pretended to sleep. Meanwhile Marietta had unfrozen all the pictures in the Ravenclaw common room, and stuffed the invisibility cloak under her bed. _She slept well. _


	41. Chapter 41

Lord Firefox: True, or Cho for that matter. Both are having the worst luck.

T-person: Good example, Chrysler's farm, where the British used a parade ground maneuver from being out flanked by a larger force of around 7,000 men. Tactics leading to victory over brute force, just the example I was trying to convey. I can't bring Dumbledore back just yet, but soon, as for Marietta, well there is a long way to go with her. But you will have more insight to her soon.

Froggie2: Working on getting Harry and Cho together as soon as I can, but one last misunderstanding has to happen first. Bear with me. Hang in there. I'm very impatient for it as well. But I cannot sacrifice the story for instant gratification, That said, soon, just a few more chapters. Fiona, very soon as well. I promise.

Okay, well here is Chapter 41. Harry's just had the nightmare/memory, and been woken up by Ron and Neville. Cho tries to comfort her friends, and runs into Marietta, and Danielle in the girl's bathroom. Marietta also implements one of her plans to get Cho on her side. Also remember those pictures that Collin and Dennis Creevey took?

**Chapter 41: The Deal with the Devil**

**Two days after the Murder, Morning:**

Harry was shaken awake from the screaming and crying that he had been doing in his sleep by Ron, and Neville.

"**Harry! Harry, wake up! You're just having a bad nightmare!" **Ron shouted. Harry looked up at him, and then around the room realizing that he was awake and in back in his common room. Harry looked at Ron and Neville with a look of terror in his face.

"I… I… killed her. I killed her." he whimpered. Ron and Neville looked at each other very confused. They turned back to Harry.

"Who did you kill Harry?" Ron asked. Harry was shaking, he tried to think about how to explain to them the nightmare that he had just awoken from… but how could he explain. It didn't feel like he was sleeping, it felt like he was wide awake. The image was fresh in his mind. Now, how could he tell Ron and Neville, or anyone else for that matter what had happened. He needed to talk to someone, badly, but he needed to think first, he didn't know what he would say. "Harry, who did you kill?" Ron repeated.

"Nnn… nothing, no one. It was a nightmare, um I'm hungry. Look, I'm going to get dressed, and get something to eat." Harry said composing himself. He saw that Ron and Neville were already dressed in their school uniform. "You guys can go ahead; I'll be along in a little while. I'm okay now, really. It was just a bad dream. That's all." Harry said.

"You're sure your okay Harry?" Ron asked concerned.

"Yea, I'm good. I'll be down soon. You two go ahead." Harry nodded. Ron gave Harry a pat on the back, and told him that he would see him in the great hall for breakfast. As Harry dressed he thought about who he needed to go to about what had just happened. The last nightmare that he had had so vividly, was last night when he dreamed about threatening Allen Miller, and Padma Patel, but like the Quidditch nightmare, those had taken place after the real events, real events that he had no memory of before the nightmare. Harry was confused, was he losing his mind. He remembered going to Professor McGonagall about his wand not working, but it _did_ end up working in her office when he had tried to demonstrate the problem. _What is going on, what's happening to me?_ Harry thought.

When Harry got to the Great Hall everyone else was already eating. Harry sat down next to Ron, and started in on his breakfast. He looked over at the Ravenclaw table, and thought that he saw Padma talking to Cho Chang, but when the girl turned around he saw her tie, and crest, and realized that it was Padma's sister Parvati who was talking to Cho. Parvati saw Harry looking her way, and walked up to him.

"Harry, Ron have either of you seen my sister Padma?" Parvati asked concerned. Harry dropped his fork, his hands shaking, as he looked up with an ashen face.

"Why, what's wrong with her?" Harry said nervously.

"Well nothing that I know of. I just haven't seen her this morning, we usually have a chat before breakfast, and I can't find her. No one at the Ravenclaw table seems to know where she is. Well, excuse me; I've got to go look for her." Parvati said, and she walked off to the Slytheren table to see if Padma was with Allen Miller. Harry tried not to think about his nightmare, but the thought that Padma was not at the Ravenclaw table scared him. He wasn't so hungry, but he tried to eat in order to concentrate on something else. He listened to Ron complain about how annoyed he was that there had been no mail again that day. When he was almost done, Harry heard a sad, familiar voice speak to him.

"Harry, can… can I please talk to you?" Cho said softly. Harry looked up, Cho was standing there looking sad as usual, a worried expression on her face.

"Sure, what's up?" Harry asked curious. Cho looked around at the other students around Harry. She lowered her head, looking away.

"Um, in private please Harry." Cho asked uncomfortably. Harry nodded, stood up, and walked with her to a corner of the great hall.

"What is it Cho? Is something wrong?" Harry asked.

"Harry about that night… I'm sorry. I'm sorry about how I was acting. I'm just; it's a really difficult time for me right now. I wish that I could tell you, but I can't." Cho said sincerely regretful. Harry looked into her almond shaped eyes. There was a lot of hurt in them.

"Cho, I know that you loved him, but you have to put Cedric behind you. He's dead, and it's very tragic, but you can't spend the rest of your life morning over him, he…" Harry started, but Cho quietly cut him off.

"It's not about Cedric Harry… it's about other things. One of my friends has become really sick, and I'm worried about her. But Harry… I wanted to ask you if we could talk sometime. I have things that I want to ask you, things about your past, and… other stuff." Cho said. _What a strange conversation, why does she want to know about my past? Harry thought. Never mind you idiot, Cho wants to talk to you again. I enjoy being with her, I need the feeling that I get from being with her now more than ever._

"I'll be ready to talk whenever you want Cho, just let me know. Harry smiled. Cho nodded, and gave Harry a tight hug. She closed her eyes, as her face rested on his warm chest. They held each other for a moment in silence. Harry smelled Cho's hair and the same sweet vanilla odor came to him again. Eventually the bell to attend class rang, and Cho and Harry hesitantly pulled away from each other.

"I'll see you at lunch Cho?" Harry asked. Cho's sad look became even more pronounced.

"I've got… I've got student isolation Harry. I have to stay there for lunch." Cho said sadly.

"Student isolation, Why Cho?" Harry asked.

"I… it's a long story. But that's why I'm not going to be at lunch for two weeks, they bring our lunch to us." Cho said quietly.

"Two weeks! But what could you have possible done for that?" Harry pressed. Cho looked at her watch.

"I can't explain now Harry, but… I wanted to ask you a question before I left. I wanted to ask, where were you, when you got your letter to come to Hogwarts?" Cho asked. Harry looked at Cho confused. _What a strange question to ask,_ he thought.

"Well… why do you ask?" Harry questioned her. Cho looked at Harry very seriously.

"I just, I wanted to know something more about you Harry. I want to know everything… eventually." Cho said softly. The warning bell rang indicating that they only had five minutes left to get to class. Cho waited in silence for Harry's answer.

"I was in a cabin with my relatives. It was storming. We were on a small island." Harry said flatly.

"Oh, were you on holiday?" Cho asked. Harry shook his head.

"No, Professor Hagrid came to take me to Hogwarts that night, after we were finished shopping for supplies in Diagon Ally. I didn't know about the Magic world before then." Harry said flatly. Cho frowned.

"Didn't know… how? I thought that your family would have been good friends with the Minister of Magic, and many of the Magic Nobility. Surely your family would have had to have a lot of friends in the magic community." Cho said. Harry looked at her quietly for a second.

"We'd both better get to where we're supposed to be now Cho. We don't want to be late." Harry said, and walked away. Cho started in the opposite direction. On her way to isolation.

Cho was not so happy about being in Isolation, but it did have its advantages. She could really focus better on doing her work without distractions. She was even able to finish a lot of her assigned work early, and start on some other work that she was behind on. Once as she was returning from a bathroom break she saw a younger student taking a picture of a suit of armor. She started to pass the boy on her way back to the Isolation class, but stopped suddenly when she remembered who he was. Cho turned to him.

"Um, excuse me, do you remember me?" Cho asked him. The boy turned to her.

"Yes, you're Cho Chang. Your seeker for Ravenclaw. I've taken your picture several times at Quidditch matches." Collin Creevey said.

"Oh, well I'm not on the team anymore, but um… what was your name again?" Cho asked hurt at being reminded that she was not on the team.

"It's Collin Creevey. I'm taking pictures for the year book." The boy said. Cho extended her hand, and they shook.

"Well it's good to see you again Mr. Creevey, I bought a picture of Harry Potter at the Quidditch game in my fourth year, and I was wondering if you have a more recent picture that I could purchase." Cho asked politely.

"Sure, but I have to get back to class now. Why don't you come to my dark room tomorrow after regular classes? My brother and I have loads of them there, and you can sort through and pick out the ones you like." Collin said. Cho smiled and thanked him. Then she walked back to student Isolation.

That night Beverly Jones was very sick, and spent much of the time vomiting in a toilet in the North Tower girl's bathroom. She was in pain, and crying as well. Cho held her hair back and Luna rubbed her back. She had been like this since the day Cho had gotten in trouble with Flitwick about accusing Marietta's friends of attacking her, and explaining her concern for Beverly's safety. Beverly's skin was cold to the touch, and she was shaking. Cho looked up at Luna concerned.

"We have to take her to Madam Pomfrey." She said worried.

"Nancy Cromwell said that she and Erica Goldberg took Beverly from class several times from class today because she was sick like this, she eventually got better, and Madam Pomfrey was able to give her a spell to stop the vomiting, but she could never find out what was completely wrong with her. Apparently none of her spells were able to show why she's sick, just temporarily able to relieve the vomiting." Luna said softly. Beverly again puked, and she was shivering.

"Why is this happening to me?" Beverly cried. "It hurts." Cho hugged gave her a hug.

"It's okay Beverly, we'll get you to Madam Pomfrey and she'll take care of you." Cho said softly. Cho and Luna supported Beverly on each side, with her arms around their shoulders. They all had to stop several time in bathrooms along the hall for Beverly to get sick in, sometimes she didn't make it, and vomited in the halls. After thee three girls had finally arrived at hospital, they explained the situation to Madam Pomfrey, who after giving her medicine for her illness said that she wanted Beverly to stay in hospital for observation this time. Cho and Luna stayed with Beverly until she was better, and promised to come back tomorrow, to check up on her. Beverly was well enough to thank them and they all said their goodbyes. As Cho and Luna walked back to the North Tower Cho noticed that Luna looked on the verge of tears. She put her arm around Luna.

"I know your worried Luna, but she'll be alright. Madam Pomfrey's very good at taking care of people." Cho said. Luna looked up at her with a sad face.

"I know Cho, but it's not just that. I really miss my dad. I mean were not even getting letters inside Hogwarts now. My dad and I are very close, we always write to each other as often as possible. I just hope my letters are at least getting through to him." Luna said in a monotone. Cho nodded her understanding. She missed her parents as well, and although she sent out letters by owls daily, she, along with the rest of the people at Hogwarts had not received any mail back. It was really driving the idea for her to leave Hogwarts, and go back to her mum. Cho reached up her hand to her chest and felt the gold locket, the love protection charm hanging around her neck that her father had given her. Both her parents wanted her to continue her education. That's what they expected of her. That's what she had to do. But being away from her mother, when her mother needed her, she wasn't sure if it was all worth it.

The next day after detention Cho found herself walking into the classroom adjacent to the school yearbook staff's dark room. She knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" came a familiar voice from inside.

"It's Cho Chang, I had asked about purchasing some photos… of Harry Potter." Cho said.

"Alright, just a minute, I have to keep the film from being exposed to light." Collin said. After a few moments he let Cho inside, and after everything was okay he used his wand to turn off the red lights in the room, and turn on the regular florescent lights. The room had a sink and several chemicals, and bottled were in the air. Collin's brother Dennis was putting a blank paper in a liquid solution, and after a few seconds an image appeared. He then took it out, and hung it with clips to a cord that ran along the wall. Collin began showing Cho several pictures of Harry, and explaining that certain ones were the most popular amongst girls at the school. Cho picked out a few of them, including one with Harry in a hero pose **_(See Chapter 31)_** with his hands on his side, looking up. Cho happened to glance at the wall next to her and saw another picture **_(See Chapter 29)_** taken of a Gryffindor on a broom at a Quidditch match. At least it looked like someone on a broom. Cho looked at the picture more carefully. All she could see were clothes, and a pair of circular glasses. There was something filling them, but she could see through it, like it was water or glass, or some other clear substance. It looked vaguely like Harry, but somehow not. Cho turned to Collin.

"Um, excuse me but who is this picture of?" Cho asked politely. Collin looked at the image that she was pointing at.

"Oh that's a picture of Harry that didn't come out right. It was taken at the practice match against Huffelpuff. Actually none of the pictures of Harry came out right that day, we through most of them away. He had quite a temper that day. Anyway all the shots came out like that. I mean the ones at the game. I never really understood. My brother and I thought it was a cool effect, so we've tried to duplicate it. We thought that maybe it was due to the particular magic around the pitch so we took pictures of each other flying on our brooms, but they just came out normal. Something inside Cho told her to ask for a copy of the picture, she didn't know why, but she felt that she needed to have it, that it would be useful later. She remembered that many of the Hufflepuffs had blamed Harry for attacking Cindy Miggins at the game.

"Collin, can I have this or a copy of it please?" Cho asked pointing to the picture.

"Sure, take that one; I have some other copies." Collin smiled. Cho paid for the pictures, thanked him, and left for the Hospital to See Beverly. She was still not well, and was still cold to the touch. Beverly looked up at Cho, and told her that she was cold, and afraid. Cho pulled her blanket over her friend tighter, and used her wand to perform a warming charm. Eventually it helped Beverly. When she had drifted off to sleep Cho gave her a kiss on the forehead, and left for the North Tower. Along the was she met Nancy Cromwell, who didn't look so good. She was pale, and she was shaking. Nancy started to fall, but Cho caught her, and supported her.

"Nancy, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Cho asked concerned. Nancy looked up at Cho with a tear in her eye.

"Cho… I'm freezing!" she said. The words put a fear in Cho, especially that it was Nancy Cromwell who had earned the nickname Eskimo from her fellow Ravenclaws from never being cold at anytime anyone could remember who said them. Cho supported her back to the infirmary and explained to Madam Pomfrey that she had found Nancy walking the halls, and that she was concerned about her. Madam Pomfrey decided to keep Nancy in for observation as well. Cho left again for the North Tower, and her dorm room. She took a hot shower to relax, and soon was in her pajamas. She walked into her room and scanned it from one side to the other. Erica Goldberg waved to her from her bed, but the beds of her other two friends were empty. It was an eerie felling for Cho, who took great joy in being surrounded by friends.

"Hello Erica, how are you tonight?" Cho asked politely.

"Can't complain Cho, have you seen Nancy? We were going to play some cards." Erica said. Cho lowered her head.

"Well, she's not feeling well Erica, I took her to the infirmary, and Madam Pomfrey is keeping her under observation. Maybe the flu." Cho said worried.

"Oh, too bad, and she had just gotten her anti-flew charm today too." Erica said casually.

"What! What did you say Erica?" Cho asked excited. Erica raised an eyebrow surprised at the concern in Cho's voice.

"Well we were at lunch today, and Madam Pomfrey had sent Pansy Parkinson to fetch her for her shot. Funny thing thought I thought that everyone had had their anti-flu charms finished up two days ago. I guess they just missed her." Erica said. Cho started to turn red.

"They did finish up two days ago, and Nancy did get her anti-flu charm. I remember her telling me about it. About how it tickled a little when she was hit with it. Beverly got her anti-flu charm before she started getting sick too." Erica looked at Cho blankly.

"So what are you saying Cho? That the anti-flu charms are causing people to get sick? I had mine, and I'm okay, and most people that I know had theirs, and they are okay as well." Erica said.

"But Beverly and Nancy are both my friends, and they were both called back to Madam Pomfrey for their charms, and Pansy Parkinson was involved both times." Cho said thinking out loud.

"Oh come on Cho, don't get any crazy Ideas, I heard about what happened in Charms class, and the corridor, and library. Surly you don' think that there is some kind of conspiracy do you. I mean the papers have been saying that You-Know-Who was defeated, and ran off to Europe. He's long gone. And Hogwarts is the safest place in the Magic world as well." Erica said reassuringly. It did not comfort Cho.

"That may be Erica, but if Hogwarts is so safe then why are we no longer getting any letters, and what about Padma Patel? No one's seen her for several days, and they have everyone looking for her. And Beverly and Nancy getting a mysterious illness, what about that?" Cho inquired. Erica started to speak, but Cho's rational made her hesitate.

"Well, who do you think is behind it Cho, You-Know-Who?" Erica asked.

"I'm not sure who is leading the group, but I'm sure Marietta is involved. Harry thanks that it's a boy named Draco Malfoy calling the shots, I have student Isolation with him, but other than the fact that he's the Slytheren seeker, and his father is about to be on trial for being a death eater, I don't know much about him." Cho stated, trying to put the pieces together in her mind.

"I thought that you and Marietta were friends for a long time, surely she couldn't be capable of anything more than a little school yard bulling. I mean she's a stupid bitch, but… surely not capable of anything serious." Erica said.

"I guess it was severely bad judgment that I was ever friends with Marietta, especially that she was my best friend. I'll always hate myself for that. I thought that I could change her attitude about people, but I was wrong. Were arch enemies now but… although Marietta is an evil bitch, one thing she's not is stupid. She's probably the most intelligent student in the school… and that scares me. Look Erica, promise me something. Promise me that no mater what you won't go back to the infirmary if Marietta or any of her gang brings a letter to one of the masters, or tells you at lunch that Madam Pomfrey wants to see you. Just disappear for a while until dinner and then let me know about it." Cho said in a serious voice.

"That will mean skipping some classes." Erica said.

"It doesn't matter; you have to keep yourself safe." Cho replied.

"Oh my god **_you're _**saying that skipping classes doesn't matter! This is serious." Erica giggled.

"Cut it out, it's not funny. Just promise me that you won't go anywhere that Madam Pomfrey, Marietta, or any of her thugs direct you." Cho said irritated.

"Okay, I promise." Erica said.

"Thanks Erica, I'm just trying to protect you." Cho finished. Cho eventually started going through the pictures that she had bought of Harry. She reached over to the framed picture of Harry taken in their first game together in her fourth year, and slipped it out of the frame. She opened her nightstand drawer, and delicately placed it inside. Cho then began to shift through the rest of the photos to try and decide which one she wanted to replace it. Erica asked if she could also look through the photos as well. Cho happily agreed. Eventually Erica came across the picture of Harry at the Quidditch game, the one where you couldn't actually see him.

"What's up with this one? He's that man who wasn't there. Weird mess up with the camera." Cho looked over to the picture.

"Yea, Collin Creevey, the boy who took the picture said that he thought that it was some way that the magic worked at Hogwarts. That it somehow warped the picture. Um it's a cool effect." Cho said, though she wasn't sure that it was the reason that she bought the picture. Finally Cho decided on a picture of Harry that had him standing in a corridor looking a little sad. She didn't know why she had chosen it; it was just something about Harry in the picture that made her want to take care of him. She felt that she wanted to help him when she looked at the picture. Or maybe she just felt a connection because she was always sad lately. Erica picked up the picture of Harry standing in the hero pose as Cho placed the _Sad Harry_ picture on her night stand. Erica looked over the _Hero Picture_ carefully.

Hey Cho, why didn't you choose this one? It looks much more courageous to me. I think it would be a better… oh never mind looks like your _arch enemy_ made a guest appearance in this one." Erica said. Cho grabbed the picture out of Erica's hand.

"What do you mean Erica!" Cho asked nervous. Erica pointed to the back ground of the picture of Harry where two people could be seen talking to each other. At least it looked on first glance like to people were talking, and one of them was Marietta Edgencombe. Cho looked hard at the spot that contained Marietta and the other person that she was engaged in conversation with. The two were far away in the back ground and the other person could not be made out clearly, but it looked as if the picture had the same film effect of Harry in his Quidditch Uniform. The figure by Marietta looked clear like glass. Cho was not so much looking at the person, as through them. Something about the abnormality of the photo creeped Cho out. She would have to speak to Harry soon about this. So many things were not making any since.

**The Next Morning:**

Harry sat at the Gryffindor table breakfast thinking about the hug that he shared with Cho the previous day, and wondering if his decision to be _just friends_ was the right one. She almost always made him feel good, just to be around her, but still something was bothering Harry. He kept thinking back to that night in the potions room. About the work Cho was doing on the Jinxing Torso, about the book that she would not let him see. _Could he trust her? Why couldn't she trust him?_ There was this thing between them, this thing that he couldn't describe, or even name. He needed to find out what went on in the potions room that night. She had to tell him, before he could completely trust her, and before he could consider taking their relationship further on any level. He just felt that she was being too secretive.

A pair of soft hands suddenly covered Harry's eyes from behind.

"Guess who," Came a girlish voice.

"Um Cho Chang," Harry said absentmindedly, even though the accent was English, and sounded nothing like Cho. Harry was rewarded by a slap on the head.

"Hump! So your thinking about Cho Chang, are you?" Fiona said in a jealous voice, and started to walk off. Harry got up and pulled on her arm.

"Just kidding, it was a joke. I knew it was you Fiona." Harry said apologetically. Fiona turned around, and her expression changed to one of good cheer again. She rubbed her finger down Harry's chest and gave him a seductive look.

"Well if it was just a joke… I wanted you to meet me at the girls lavatory on the third level tonight. The one haunted by that ghost, the girl." Fiona said in a sensual voice.

"Moaning Myrtle? Why that bathroom?" Harry asked. Fiona gave Harry a flirtatious smile.

"Because you silly boy, it's very private, she's not there so much anymore. No one ever goes in there. Just meet me there tonight… around eight I think." Fiona said.

"Okay sure Fiona, tonight at eight. Sounds… really good. Harry saw Cho walking up to the two of them about the same time that Fiona did. Suddenly she felt jealous, and pulled Harry's arms around her, while simultaneously putting her arms around him as well. She gave Harry a passionate kiss, which made him melt. But still Harry kept his eyes on Cho. He felt guilty about kissing another girl in front of her. _But why?_ Fiona was his girlfriend, and he and Cho were just friends. But the sense of guilt was overwhelming. Harry pulled away from the kiss to look at Cho; he wanted to say that he was sorry, and that he didn't mean it. But the kiss had felt really good. Harry felt lightheaded as he looked at Cho. For once she did not have a sad look on her face, but one of confusion, as she stood in front of the two of them in silence.

"Um, hello Cho, how are you today?" Harry asked. Fiona gave him an elbow in the stomach for not introducing her to Cho. "Oh, uh Fiona this is my friend Cho, Cho this if Fiona." Harry said. Fiona rapped his arms around her even tighter.

"_His girlfriend Fiona_." She said with great emphasis, letting Cho know the extent of their relationship. Harry blushed from an embarrassment that maybe he thought that someone that was the boy friend of someone so popular and good-looking shouldn't have. Had it been anyone else, he would have been proud, but this was Cho, and he didn't want to have a girlfriend all of a sudden.

"Um, Harry… I… I have something that I think… that you should see. I need… to speak with you… in private, please." Cho said in a monotone voice. Fiona gave Cho a suspicious look.

"Anything you need to tell Harry Chang, you can tell him in front of me. My boyfriend and I don't have secretes from each other, do we honey." Fiona said in an untrusting tone.

"Well, um perhaps it's something that Cho wants to keep Private Fiona," Harry said. "I mean we just need to talk for a minute. I'll be right back. Harry said pulling away from her. Harry walked over to a corner of the Great Hall with Cho. He looked at her with shame in his eyes, and she looked at him with the deepest hurt, as her heart ached.

"Um, Harry… I needed to know when… when the next meeting was for everyone. I needed to know, because I've come across something strange. Some photos. Um, when can we meet again?" Cho asked trying her best not to cry.

"Um, I guess Sunday, in the evening. Around six thirty, the room of requirement." Harry said. Cho lowered her head.

"Sure Harry, see you then." Cho said softly, and turned to leave. Harry grabbed Cho's arm.

"Cho, about Fiona, and I… we, it's just that…" Harry tried to explain something, but he wasn't sure what he wanted to explain. Cho put her hand on his shoulder.

"Look, you don't have to explain anything, were just friends right?" Cho said with a unconvincing smile. Harry lowered his head.

"Yea, I…" Harry began.

"I have to go Harry; I have to get to student Isolation." Cho said. Harry looked at his watch.

"But you have fifteen more minutes for breakfast, and…" Harry began, but was cut off.

"Yea, well Mr. Filch wants the students there early." Cho lied. "I'll see you Thursday Harry, goodbye." Cho said as she quickly left. When she rounded the corner the tears started to fall from her eyes. Harry had evidently broken up with Hermione, and she wasn't even his second choice. Cho thought. She walked into the girl's lavatory, and began to cry from the hurt that she felt, about Harry, her mum, her friends everything. She cried until the bell to go to class rang. Cho eventually composed herself with much effort. As Cho wiped away the last of her tears two girls walked into the restroom. It was Marietta Edgencombe, and Danielle Forester. They both seemed surprised to see her at first, but a devious smile quickly came across Marietta's face.

"Cho Chang, just the person I wanted to see. This is indeed a fortunate coincidence. It will save us the trouble of having to go around the school looking for you." Marietta said happily.

"Leave me alone Marietta. I've nothing to say to you." Cho said bitterly. Marietta approached her, the smile on her face growing.

"Oh, but I think you'll want to hear what I have to say, I mean if you ever want your friends Beverly, and Nancy to get better." Marietta said. Cho turned around, an angry look on her face.

"I knew it! You're to blame for their illness!" Cho said raising her wand. Marietta acted offended.

"How dare you accuse me you little… no, I will not lose my temper. After all, I'm Head Girl. I need to set an example. But you don't need to be falsely accusing anyone else of things that they did not do, after all that's what got you into student Isolation. Now, I was just going to say that I know of a cure for what ales your mudblood friends, and I'm willing to give it to you to take to Madam Pomfrey… _with certain conditions." _Cho was breathing heavily; it was all she could do to keep herself from zapping Marietta with several jinxes.

"Listen to me Marietta, the next time you call one of my friends a mudblood, I'm going to zap you with the worst jinx that you ever experienced. _Now give me the fucking cure!" _Cho shot. Marietta shook her head and gave Cho a look of pity.

"Now, now dear Cho, it's not that simple. You see I only suspect what they are suffering from, and I have a few potions that Madam Pomfrey doesn't have access to. They should cure the problems of your friends. But first I want something in return. Cho jumped at Marietta, pinning her against the bathroom wall, and stuck her wand to her throat.

"If you don't give it to me now, I'm going to burn your face off with an incineration charm, give it!" Cho screamed. Marietta had a horrified look on her face, but did not scream out. Cho felt a wand point to her head as well, and looked up to see Danielle with a hateful look on her face, ready to blast Cho in turn.

"Get off Marietta Chang or I'll blast you with a bad rash curse." Danielle said angrily. Cho stuck her wand harder to Marietta's head. Marietta struggled to get out of Cho's grip, but she held tight. She looked at Cho.

"Now listen Chang, this isn't going to do you any good. I've come to offer you a deal, and let you help your friends out. I haven't got the cure on me; I just have access to it. Just hear us out before you do anything rash." Marietta said, almost pleading now that she had a wand to her head.

"I'm not interested in hearing what you have to say Marietta; I'll kill hurt you bad if you don't take me to where you have the cure, _**right now!**"_ Cho said with finality.

"Not until you hear me out. Just listen, what have you got to lose? If you hurt me, then Danielle will just zap you next, and you'll never find the cure. Just listen." Marietta said. Cho was full of rage, everything in her wanted to hurt Marietta for everything she had done, for what she had done to Beverly in her third year, to what she had done to Harry's DA, and in aspect to her chance to be with Harry, to insulting, and making fun of her Muggleborn, and Half blood friends, to having something to do with Beverly, and Nancy getting sick, and finally what she had been doing to her. It was all boiling up inside Cho, and now she wanted to lash out at Marietta. "Listen Cho, I know you want to hurt me really bad, but think of your priorities, first you want to make sure that your friends are okay, I can help you with that, but you have to have to listen to me. If you don't I can't help your friends, just think about it for a minute. Cho was shaking with rage, Marietta was shaking with fear, and Danielle was pushing her wand harder against Cho's head about to loosen a jinx on her. Cho thought about Beverly, and Nancy being sick in Madam Pomfrey's infirmary. She wanted justice, but she couldn't have it at the expense of her friends.

"Alright Marietta, make it fast. I'm going to be late to student Isolation as it is." Cho said in an unfriendly tone.

"Alright, you know that a certain society is about to have a rally in Hogsmead. It's a society that will bring about great things in the Wizarding world. Danielle and I are members, and we want you to be one too." Marietta said plainly. Cho gave a laugh, her first in what seemed like forever.

"I've heard about your stupid society, and I don't want to have anything to do with it. I would never become a member!" Cho said bitterly.

"I know you don't like the idea now, but… we just want you to come and hear us out. I know once you hear what we have to say, and how it's to your benefit that you'll change your mind. You're a pureblood Cho, you need to side with us. I know you'll want to after you hear Professor Ian Watson talk of the great advantages of living in a pureblood world. It's what I first wrote to you about. He' had been an inspiration to me, a close family friend. He's been doing marvelous work in Europe, and now he means to bring his teachings here to the United Kingdom. Look, I'm not asking you to join, just hear him out at the rally. I'll even personally introduce you to him." Marietta finished.

"**I don't want to meet him, and I don't want to go to a rally full of a bunch of hate filled gits! I want that cure for my friends!"** Cho screamed as the tardy bell rang.

"But Cho this rally if full of our own kind, I…" Marietta started, but Cho cut her off.

"I'm not _your kind _Marietta, and I don't care who had magical parents, and who has muggle parents, and people who think that something like that is so important are stupid!" Marietta suddenly became very angry at the insults to her belief.

"Look Chang, here's the deal, you promise to go to the rally, and Beverly Jones will be as good as new by morning, after you attend then, Nancy Cromwell will be as good as new. That's one of two parts of the deal. The second is that you don't tell anyone about what took place here. Now who knows how sick that Beverly and Nancy could get while your battling with me and my friends. It would be easer if you go with me, and hear us out. Then if you don't agree I'll give you the potion, to cure Nancy, and we'll never speak again. I mean I'm only at you to do this because we're old friends." Marietta said.

"Were not friends Marietta." Cho said. Marietta shook Cho off, and walked over to her bag to grab a piece of parchment. She wrote down something on it, and signed her name. Then Marietta handed it to Cho.

"Here, take this to Mr. Filch, so you won't get in trouble for being late. Thank over what I said. I'll be where you can find me. Marietta and Danielle backed out of the room never taking their eyes off Cho, who stayed in the bathroom for several more minutes trying to think of her options. _Could she tell Professor Flitwick what happened? No, Marietta had a knack for covering things up, and she would end up being the one in trouble again. She was afraid to go to members of the staff, after the incident with Madam Pomfrey, and the school Liberian. And how did Marietta possess stuff that Madam Pomfrey didn't anyway? Surely the Hogwarts infirmary had everything that could be found in St. Mungoes. _

That afternoon after student isolation Cho went to see Beverly, and Nancy. They were both worse. Beverly's skin had a bluish tent to it. She periodically coughed up blood, and complained that she felt that she was going to freeze to death. Nancy was at the level that Beverly was a few days ago. Madam Pomfrey's potions were having less effect. After visiting hours were over, Cho walked to the seventh level of the North Tower and stood at the doorway of her old dorm room, now a layer for Marietta and her fiends. Marietta looked up at Cho innocently.

"Lose something Cho?" She asked in a friendly tone. Cho wanted to beat Marietta senseless then and there, but she had come here to help her friends, and would not sacrifice their welfare for her revenge.

"If Beverly Jones is better by tomorrow morning, I'll go to your stupid rally." Cho said in a depressed tone. Marietta smiled.

"Good Cho, she will be I promise. You're doing the right thing. You'll see that it's better to be with your own kind." Marietta said happily.

"Fuck you Marietta." Cho said as she left for her room holding her middle finger in the air.

**Meanwhile In the Girls Bathroom: **

Harry and Fiona were making out intensely in a stall. Moaning Myrtle was strangely absent. Fiona had pushed him onto the toilet, and straddled him giving him passionate kisses, and grinding on him. He was nervous. Fiona was younger than him, and didn't seem the type to go around with just anyone. But she was taking the lead, and he didn't know how to respond, except to kiss her back. Conflicting emotions were going through his head, Fiona was really beautiful, and felt so good. They were both making out hot, and heavy, it was what he had wanted. But he also felt guilt about Cho seeing them together earlier that day, and now… now he felt like he was cheating on Cho. Harry closed his eyes and imagined Fiona was Cho for a minute_. Stop that he thought to himself, you're going to screw everything up, and call her Cho or something. It's too late for you and Cho, Fiona is your girlfriend now, and you can't just dump her or anything. Besides, she's really hot, all the Gryffindor boys say so. They tell me how lucky I am._ Harry pulled away after a few minutes to take in some air.

"Hang on, I um. Look what do you want to do at Hogsmead tomorrow Fiona?" Harry asked. She thought about it for a minute while rubbing his shoulders.

"Hummm, well, I suppose that we could go to the shrieking shack, that's always cool, or maybe we could go Madam Puddenfoot's. There actually is a new pub opening called the Witch's Brew that's supposed to be really good, how about that?" Fiona asked.

"Yea sounds good, except for the Madam Puddenfoot's thing. My friends Hermione, and Luna are going to the Witch's Brew tomorrow, maybe we could meet them there. **_Oh, were just friends!"_** Harry shouted the last part remembering the communication problem with Cho last year. You know, we wouldn't have to go if you don't want to, and if you did it would be way later in the date. Just a thought.I mean we can do whatever you want." Harry finished. A frown came across Fiona's face. Look Harry, you care about me right?" Fiona asked.

"Sure." Harry shrugged.

"And my opinion is important to you right?" Fiona asked. Harry wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"Well yea, okay." He said.

"Harry, I don't want you to hang around that girl anymore, okay?" Fiona said. Harry instantly got offended.

"Look Fiona, Hermione is a really nice person, she…" He started, but was cut off.

"Oh no Harry, not Hermione, I mean Luna Lovegood." Fiona said quickly. Harry went blank. He didn't expect Fiona to have a problem with Luna, as Luna was a pureblood.

"Wh… why not Luna, I mean she's a pureblood." Harry inquired.

"So, I'm only a half blood, her linage isn't important to me. Hermione is okay because she's a national hero, and her parents are well established in the Muggle world, both being doctors of dentistry you see. But Luna, well she didn't get much of the press, and she already has a reputation here at the school. She has the image of being a delusional, retard. I don't think that we need to be hanging out with someone who could give us such a bad image. Trust me; I'm only thinking about what's best for us Harry. Harry was getting upset.

"Look Fiona, Luna is my friend, and if you want to be with me then you had better learn to accept her, because she's been really good to me, and…" Harry started.

"Relax Harry. Relax. Look just because she's your friend doesn't mean that you have to be with her all the time right?" Fiona said. She started moving her hand down to Harry's crouch and rubbing the area through the pants. Harry was aroused, and suddenly became excited.

"Well um I guess." Harry said nervously. Fiona gave him a sensual smile.

"And you did say that we could do whatever I want, right?" Fiona asked.

"Well, I guess so." Harry said begrudgingly. Fiona smiled.

"Good, then what I want is to meet Hermione later in the date, without Luna. But first, I have a surprise for you when we get into Hogsmead tomorrow." Fiona said in a sexual tone.

"What surprise?" Harry asked. Fiona laughed.

"Oh, you silly. If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise. But trust me, your going to love it. She kissed Harry again, and as always her lips were soft and warm. When the kiss was over, Fiona stood up.

"Look Harry, I have to go, curfew. I'll meet you tomorrow at the entrance after breakfast. Were going to have a great time." Fiona said.

"Great look Fiona, if you would only get to know Luna, she's really very bright…" Harry started.

"We'll talk about that another time Harry. Just make an excuse if we see her tomorrow. It's important who you're seen with Harry. Remember, you're _The Boy Who Lived." _She said and she kissed him goodbye and walked out of the bathroom. Harry sat and contemplated the mixed emotions of guilt and pleasure that were going through his mind. Mostly about the guild of making out with his girlfriend, behind Cho's back. But even worse than that, now he had time to reflect on the nightmare that had been plaguing him all day. The one that kept him from doing his studies and getting points taken off in class. The one about killing Padma Patel. He had volunteered to search earlier that night, but had not found her. He had no memory of walking to the room, just entering, yelling her, and killing her. But the strangest thing was that he dreamt that he stood over himself in bed, and told himself that he would have nightmares. Harry vowed that if someone did find Padma harmed than Draco Malfoy would pay. After all Harry had dreamed of invisibility cloak again, and the Malfoy's had the money and connection to get one. But Harry prayed that this nightmare would not turn out to be real like the others. It was the one of the most horrible ways to die that he had seen, the way Padma died in his dream. He didn't want it to be real.


	42. Chapter 42

T-person: Thanks for the review, and thanks for the Go Cho:)

Froggie2: Thanks again for the review. I was wondering what happened to you. But I guess a lot of people are on holiday now.

Hello again everyone, I'm sorry to say that this is not a very good chapter, but it's setting up a better one. I'll make it up to everyone, Dumbledore in next chapter. I promise!

It's not very well written, but I'm sure I don't do hateful speeches to well, and maybe that's a good thing. I researched the speeches of Nazi's, the KKK, and several Islamic extremist groups to get an idea of how racist people think. It went toward the speech, but believe me, I don't think that way. Anyway here it is, sorry it's taking so long to get to Harry and Cho, but again Dumbledore next chapter.

**Chapter 42: Professor Ian Watson**

**Saturday Morning**

Harry and Fiona were standing in the queue to sign out for the first Hogsmead visit. His relationship with Fiona wasn't known by everyone in the school yet, but Fiona was making sure that that would change soon enough. As people unfamiliar to her would come up to Harry she would introduce herself as his girlfriend. Sometimes she would even approach other students passing bye. Always with the introduction of: "Hi, I'm Fiona Shaw, Harry Potter's girlfriend." Perhaps he should have felt proud that such a beautiful girl was his girlfriend, and perhaps he should have felt horned that she was so proud to be so, but something about the way that she was pushing it on everyone bothered him. _There is no need to make the announcement when people don't ask_, He thought. Harry was remembering his the day before with Cho seeing him kiss Fiona. He thought that he had seen hurt in her eyes. He was sure, but it was hard to tell if it was about the kiss, since Cho never seemed to be happy. Harry looked around for Cho but didn't see her. It made him sad.

There was something else bothering Harry as well. There was still no sign of Padma Patel. Last night he and several other Gryffindor students comforted her sister Parvati who broke down crying, at the thought of her sister missing. Harry didn't tell anyone about his nightmare, because he feared that telling someone about it might make it come true. _Please don't let it be true_, he thought. Parvati and her sister were both good friends of his, and he hated the thought of something happening to Padma.

Fiona suddenly shook Harry out of his reflecting, and pulled his arms around her. "Harry honey. Mr. Creevey wants to take a picture of us. Collin was standing, and waiting with his camera for Harry to smile. He was able to manage a weak one as the flash temporarily blinded him.

"Thanks Harry, it's for the year book. Boy your lucky Harry." Collin said giving him a wink. Fiona smiled at the complement. Soon Harry and Fiona were at the end of the queue. Harry saw Draco Malfoy walking towards Hogsmead with some girl that he didn't recognize. _Bastard!_ Harry thought. _You're the one behind all this. I'm going to find proof and expose you. And they had better find Padma safe and sound or I'm coming after you. _Soon Harry and Fiona were signed out and halfway down the hill to Hogsmead when someone shouted his name. It was Ron and he was hand in hand with a blond haired Huffelpuff girl.

"Hey, Harry how is it going?" Ron asked happily.

"Oh, good Ron, um who's your friend?" Harry asked thinking that the Huffelpuff girl looked familiar. Ron straitened up proudly. This is Amanda Frost. Remember she was at my brothers joke shop the day that we signed autographs." Ron said happily.

"Right. I remember now." Harry said and shook her hand. Harry introduced himself, and then introduced Fiona as well.

"Um, so you two are friends?" Harry asked.

"Well actually, were on a date today." Ron said.

"What… what about Luna?" Harry asked.

"I told you that I'm not looking for a commitment this year, and Luna, and Amanda are both okay with that, right Amanda?" Ron asked. Amanda nodded her head.

"That's right. Were both just looking to have some fun, and not get into any long term relationships for now. So, I'm totally okay with it." Amanda said. Harry nodded his understanding. Then changing the subject, he asked if Ron had heard any news of Padma Patel.

"No one's seen her yet; they have most of the students who are too young to go to Hogsmead looking for her, along with the ghost, some of the staff, and all the house elves too. Her sister is there as well. Parvati was really depressed, she didn't even know if her letter about it had gotten to her parents, because we don't seem to get any mail anymore. She said that she was going to talk about it with Professor McGonagall when the Professor got back from Hogsmead." Ron finished. "Oh, bye the way Harry if you two want to send any letters out you had better go to the post office soon. There is going to be a long line of students really quick, being that the mail will not be censored since it's not at Hogwarts. You can even open a PO Box there so that you can have any mail redirected for the next Hogsmead visit. No telling how long it'll be till we all actually receive mail at the school. That's where Amanda and I are going now." Ron said.

"I see, well maybe later, Fiona wanted to head off to the shrieking shack first. Err you still did want to do that first, right?" Harry asked.

"Yes, of coarse honey. We can register for a Post Office Box later; the lines are bound to thin out eventually." Fiona said. Both of the couples said their goodbyes, and went off in their separate directions.

**Meanwhile Back at the Castle:**

Cho stared at her breakfast, she had only had a few bites in the last fifteen minutes, and it was getting cold. She was feeling depressed about so much now. Seeing Harry with his new girlfriend had really hurt her. He hadn't even told her that he and Hermione had broken up. Cho had always thought that he would ask her out if he and Hermione ever broke up, but it wasn't to be. Cho held the butter knife that she was going to use to spread jam on her toast up in front of her and looked at her reflection in it. She remembered the words that Marietta and her gang had said to her. _Slant eyed, flat nosed, dirty faced_, is that the way Harry saw her? Was he only ever being nice to her because he was just a kind person? Harry and his new girlfriend seemed to be very much in love. She wanted to be happy for Harry, but it depressed her to see him with another girl. Cho soon began thinking on other things, things like what she would need to pack first if she decided to leave Hogwarts, and what type of job that she could get in the muggle world. Her math skills were pretty good; maybe she could be a secretary for her uncle's company. She looked around the great Hall, she was going to miss this place, so much of her life was spent here, and she had so many friends here. When would she leave? Next week? Next month? Maybe she would at least wait until after her birthday. She could enjoy that with her friends at least. Cho pulled out her wand and looked at it. Could she survive without magic? Probably. She did okay at her cousins house, and she would still have contact with her friends, and family in the magic world. Suddenly someone hugged her tightly from behind.

"Hey Cho, how's it going today!" a cheery voice said happily. Cho's eyes lit up as she turned and saw who it was.

"**Beverly!"** Cho shouted happily, and gave her friend a hug. "Are you okay? What happened? What did Madam Pomfrey say? Should you be out of bed? How is Nancy?" Cho rattled off several questions in rapid succession, with out pausing to take a breath or give Beverly a chance to respond.

"Whoa, slow down Cho. Give me a chance to answer one question at a time." Beverly said holding her hands in front of her.

"Sorry, I just… you were so sick yesterday. Did Marietta give the cure to Madam Pomfrey so that she could cure you?" Cho asked. Beverly looked confused at the question.

"What, what's Marietta got to do with anything? Madam Pomfrey realized that she had misplaced a particular potion mix in the medicine cabinet in the girls lavatory adjacent to the infirmary, and when she found it she gave it to me, and I was cured with in hours. She gave it to me late last night, and now I feel like as good as new." Beverly said happily. Cho smiled.

"That's great and what about Nancy?" Cho asked. Beverly frowned a bit.

"Well she's not well yet. Madam Pomfrey said it would take some time to mix more of it, but the Nancy should be up and moving about by tomorrow morning. A rush of relief rushed across Cho. Her friends would be okay, and since Madam Pomfrey had found a cure she wouldn't need to go to Marietta's stupid meeting. Suddenly Gloria Kingston came running up, and hugged Beverly.

"Mmmm, I heard that you were better, feeling up to a romantic date at Madam Puddenfoot's?" she asked sensually. Beverly kissed her girlfriend on the cheek.

"I sure am, well Cho, I'll probably see you in Hogsmead. Where are you going to be?" Beverly asked. Before she could answer Gloria turned around to face her. She had not noticed Cho there before.

"Oh, Hey Cho, how are you today?" Gloria asked politely.

"Oh, I'm better now, how are you Gloria." Cho asked.

"Okay now that I have my sweetie back and healthy." Gloria replied. Cho smiled; glad to see that things were going good for her friends.

"Great, um I'll be about somewhere in Hogsmead. I'll probably see you two around." Cho smiled. They each said their goodbyes and Beverly and her date left to sign out in the now much shorter queue. Cho started in on her now cold eggs, and toast. She had just finished them, and was washing it down with some apple juice when Marietta Edgencombe and Danielle Forester sat down next to her, flanking her on either side.

"So Chang, did you see Beverly yet, good as new like I said right? Now shall we all go to the rally?" Marietta said happily. For once a sincere smile came over Cho's face. She turned to Marietta, with a look of sincere satisfaction.

"I'm not going anywhere with you Marietta. Madam Pomfrey found the cure for Beverly and Nancy last night. She had misplaced it. That's all. Beverly is fine because of that. Since you didn't have anything to do with it, and since Nancy is going to get better regardless, I don't have to go and listen to you wankers spew your hate. Marietta put her head down into her folded arms and appeared to be sobbing. Cho was surprised that she was taking defeat so badly, but when she raised her head up it turned out that Marietta was actually laughing almost uncontrollably.

"Oh god Chang, you really can't be that stupid. Ha ha ha. Um she found the cure herself did she?" Marietta asked. Cho nodded her head. "Let me guess, last night in the medicine cabinet, in the girls lavatory, adjacent to the infirmary, am I right?" Marietta asked. Cho nodded again, a frown coming across her face. Danielle suddenly put her hand on Cho's shoulder.

"Sorry to disappoint you _Ching-Chong-Chang_, but their actually is no medicine cabinet in the girls lavatory. Now either you go with us, or Madam Pomfrey might have a lot of problems mixing that Potion for Nancy. Cho shot up out of her seat enraged.

"**I'm going to the head master about you two!" **Cho shouted. Marietta stretched her arms and yawned.

"Go ahead, and when they don't find anything, enjoy your time in student isolation… and don't worry, while your there Danielle and I will give you constant reports on how bad Cromwell is doing. Or… you could just go with us today, and then Madam Pomfrey could give her the cure tonight. But if you'd like to wait and see if we're bluffing, well I hear that the society is going to be back next Hogsmead weekend too. Of coerce by then you won't be under any obligation to go, as I don't think that Miss Cromwell will be able to receive treatment anymore. Hee-hee, _the medicine cabinet in the girl's lavatory_. Wonderful what a few simple memory charms can do isn't it Chang?" Marietta finished. Cho's good mood was now gone. Marietta was right. She would have likely covered up the evidence, and now that she thought of it she didn't know of any medicine cabinet in any lavatory in Hogwarts. Marietta and Danielle both stood up.

"Coming Chang? After all it's going to be a great honor for you to day. Your going to be personally presented to Professor Ian Watson, perhaps the greatest mad who ever lived. **Now let's go." **Marietta said starting off friendly and finishing in a shout. Cho recognized the name of the man from the yearbook that she had read through. He was the head of the society that Marietta and her mum belonged too, or at least he might still be. Cho sat there for a minute squeezing her fork, and wanting to stick it in Marietta's cold heart. The thought sent a shiver up her spine, and she instantly regretted it. She settled on the idea of knocking her out cold. But in the end Cho realized that she had no choice, she stood up and the three girls all signed out to go to Hogsmead. When they arrived at the edge of the town several people were protesting if front of a giant circus tent with signs that read _Society members go back to Europe, _and _Don't Bring hate to our Islands. _Cho saw people in the new police uniforms of the Ministry of Magic keeping back the crowd. Other people were filing into the Entrance to the tent, and Cho noticed a black teardrop symbol above the entrance. As Marietta and Danielle led Cho down the walkway they seemed in proud defiance of the people who came to protest this sinister group, but Cho tried to cover her face out of sheer embarrassment. She didn't want to be here, she had to be here.

The entrance to the open tent flap was guarded by two very sinister looking wizards in brown cloaks, in each one's left hand the held a wand, ready for any trouble that the protesters planed to start. Marietta handed them a few tickets that read VIP and the three were let inside. The tent was the size of the school Quidditch pitch on the outside, and like all magical tents it was even bigger on the inside. The three girls walked up a staircase aligned with running lights on either side of the floor. When they had reached the top, Cho looked down on several rows of bleachers assembled in a half circle around the center of the tent. It reminded Cho of the cinema that she had visited with her cousins. There were four isles that ran across the bleacher area that people used to get to their seats. To the far end of the tent there was a raised platform with a podium, and long red banners, each with a white circle, containing a black teardrop in it that ran from the ceiling to the floor. There were two special VIP areas roped off by a velvet cord, and guarded by another unfriendly looking wizard in brown robes on either side of the platform. Behind the podium was a small room that Cho guessed the guest speaker was getting ready in, and she could see doors to other rooms on both sides of the main bleachers. The three girls moved to the VIP area, where Marietta again showed her tickets to the unfriendly looking wizard. Cho looked at many of the people assembled in the bleachers. There were more people than Cho had expected to see here. She didn't want to talk to Marietta, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Are all these people from Hogsmead?" Cho asked Marietta. Marietta chuckled.

"Of coarse not Cho, actually most of the people here are Europeans, not British, but we plan to change that. I think next year there will be a lot more locals here, and more students." Marietta said. Cho looked at the people filling in. She recognized some of them as students from Hogwarts, along with Marietta's usual gang; she saw a few others that she didn't know. They looked confused, and out of place, like they had come here on a dare, or out of curiosity. A blond haired green-eyed witch in a brown robe, and black witch's hat, holding a pink bag came up to the three girls. She pulled out three red cloths and handed them to Danielle. Danielle thanked her, kept one of the clothes for herself, and gave the other two to Cho, and Marietta. Each unfolded her cloth, and Cho realized that it was the arm band that Marietta and Danielle had once worn in Hogwarts. It had the black teardrop in white circle that symbolized the society. Cho threw hers to the ground and stepped on it, as Marietta, and Danielle put theirs on their arms. Marietta picked the cloth up off the ground, and put it in her pocket. She then looked at Cho.

"Honestly Cho, I do wish you would learn to keep an open mind. This whole thing will only benefit you, you know." Marietta said rolling her eyes. Cho didn't say a word. She had to be here, but she didn't have to talk to the two of them.

Marietta eventually started telling Cho about how Professor Ian Watson had been a great champion for racial purity in the UK, but that blood traitors had forced him out of the British Isles, and he had started speaking at rallies. She mentioned that in the past, in the magic community there was more of an abundance of wealth for purebloods, and Wizards, and Witches had more powerful magic because the mudbloods weren't there to suck up so much of it.

"Anyway, we've, that is the society led by Professor Watson has been more successful in Europe, and we have more members over there. It's only a matter of time before the majority of the _right people_ here see the light as well." One of the witches said. Cho now rolled her eyes. She was so tired of hearing Marietta's hateful views, and now she had to put up with them for several hours. She tried hard to blank Marietta out for several minutes. Eventually several wizards, and witches, started going up to the podium to making short speeches, about the great rewards those who joined their organization were to receive. They talked about the weakening of magical ability that bearing children with muggles let to, and said that the muggle born were taking all the jobs in the wizarding world from purebloods. They even came up with vast and absurd conspiracy theories about how the Muggleborn and some pureblood sympathizers were planning to take over the wizarding world, and bring down the purebloods to second class status. Eventually one older woman stepped up to the podium. Cho recognized her as Marietta's aunt. She had been to Marietta's house several times, and met her on a couple of occasions. Marietta's aunt had been even more frank about her hatred of Muggleborn than her niece. Cho had even gotten into a heated debate once about Marietta's aunt's hatred for other people, and how it wasn't justified. Marietta's aunt started to talk about Professor Ian Watson, and his history in Magical Political affairs. She talked about he was falsely accused of a crime that he didn't commit, but she did not give any details. She also talked about how he had been run out of the United Kingdom for his beliefs, and banished for many, many decades, by mudbloods, and those who coddle mudbloods. Then Marietta's aunt told the audience about the work that the Professor had been doing across the channel in Europe. Cho looked at her watch. _When is this going to be over!_ She thought. Finally Marietta's aunt was nearing the end of her introduction speech.

"… These accomplishments in Europe have won him many friends in the higher offices of their Ministry of Magic, and now he wishes to bring the union of pureblood brotherhood, and social identity here to the United Kingdom, and Ireland. But this is best talked about the professor himself. So without further delay, it is now my pleasure to introduce **_Professor… Ian… Watson." _**Marietta's aunt finished with emphasis on each of his names. Many people in the crowd cheered a few who seemed to come out of curiosity rather than dedication weakly clapped, not really seeming into it, but trying to be civil. A very old man who looked to be in his eighties walked slowly to the podium. He was dressed in the brown robes that the mean looking wizards were in, but he did not have the mean face that they did. He was also wearing the black teardrop armband, and ha carried a folder in his hand. The man looked vaguely familiar to Cho, but she couldn't place where she had seen him before. He paned silently for a moment from one side of the tent to the other, looking at everyone in the stadium. Finally his gaze rested on Marietta and the two stared for a moment in silence. Professor gave her a nod, though his face did not break into a smile, but Marietta's did. She nodded back with a look of satisfaction on her face, as if she had done something to be proud of recently. It was as if the two were having a conversation without speaking in anyway. Suddenly the professor turned his gaze to Cho. He looked her over, and gave her a slight grin. Cho did not return it, but tried to give him a nasty look. The Professor quickly looked away, seemingly offended, Marietta's aunt put her want to his neck, and he started to address the crowd, his voice sounding like a megaphone.

"I would like to welcome all of you here to this level one rally of the Society of Truth, Uniformity, Purity, Intellectualism and Domination. Many of you are long time members from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and all over the world. Others here today are newer members from the United Kingdom who have brought friends with you whom you wish introduced to our cause. And still others have come here out of curiosity, to see how our society might benefit them. And some have come to simply see what we are all about.

Whatever reason you have come here today, the society welcomes you with open arms… that is, if you be of pure blood. But then you would have to be to be here wouldn't you?" Professor Watson said.

"Some of you have come here thinking that all we want to do is go around blasting muggle-borne's with jinxes all day. But I assure you that that is not the case. In reality the society seeks only three things. One The Preservation of the Pureblood race. Two, Segregation of the races, and three returning all purebloods to higher statuses in society.

Now as I said the first thing we stand for is the preservation of the pureblood race. It is important that we look out for ourselves first and foremost, because we can't trust the Muggleborn, and half bloods to understand that we are better than them. We believe that securing our destiny is the highest order, and that we need to view ourselves as superior more enlightened beings than others. All of us gathered here can trace our magical lineage back through infinite generations of the greatest wizards and witches. Our families have done their duty to keep the race pure. We have been mindful of the importance of continuing the magic users in our family.

That brings me to our second principal. The Principal of segregation of the races. I know that some of you new to our society, or visiting here today may have friends that are half blood, or even Muggleborn, and they seem okay to you. You don't want any harm to come to them. I can assure you that we wish no harm to come to them either. We simply wish the Muggleborn to go back to where they came from. They were never meant to be a part of our world, and if it were not for the _blood traitors_ the Muggleborn would never have known about our world at all. It is my opinion that the department of Muggle affairs should concentrate on keeping muggles with certain magical abilities from finding out about our world, not sending them letters to attend our most prestigious schools. I do not say that I want to harm half-blood, and Muggleborn, but I do say that they do not belong in our world. Surly many of us have seen the silly ideas that come from the families of those people. And surly we all remember the burning times from long ago, where muggles used to burn us alive. Trust me, they would do the same thing today if they knew about us. There are also certain things that the blood traitors in the Ministry, and our schools don't like you to dwell on, as they try to mix the races. They don't tell you about all the horrible things that go on every day in the muggle world; Wars, Rape, Murder, drug abuse, and much, much more. They are in actuality from a race of animals, not any good among them. Oh… you may have met some of them that seemed nice enough, but stay with them in their own environment long enough, and you'll see their true faces.

Another thing is that I'm sure that were all grateful to have magical ability in us. Allow me to tell you all a secrete. When you mix with an inferior race of people like muggles eventually your magical line will cease to exist. The Ministry has sought to keep this from you because the blood traitors and half bloods, wish to bring us down, wish to make us subservient to them. If we cannot produce enough children, than we will be insignificant in the world. There are already to few of us already, that is why in the rest of the world the Society is giving medals, and providing money to families that produce up to six children. That is also why certain members are drafting legislation in Parliament to deny admittance to our schools for anyone who does not have at least one parent of magical lineage.

The half bloods, and muggle borne have no place in our world, and so segregation of the races is vital, and is our second principal, because we don't want our children growing up without magic. _After all, in the end it really is all for the children." _The Professor finished his second part of his hateful speech. Cho was going mad, having to listen to so much hateful tripe, she looked at her watch, wondering how much longer this was to go on. The professor began the third part of his speech.

Finally there is one last primary principal that we all stand for. We stand for the reinstatement of our race. Most of you are too young to remember but a long time ago most of the businesses in this country were run by purebloods. Most of the nicer houses were owned by purebloods, and most importantly, purebloods held most of the important positions in our society. Today… I'm sad to say that purebloods hold less than thirty six percent of Ministry jobs to this day." The Professor continued.

"Oh come on, that's because a long time ago non purebloods were not allowed to hold higher jobs. And there are fewer purebloods around because many people have intermixed." Cho said quietly to herself. Danielle put a finger to her lips.

"Shuuu, let him finish Chang." Danielle quipped angrily. Professor Watson continued his hateful speech.

We must return ourselves to power; remember you are all better than other people. We are all a superior race of people, the greatest of the magic users, and it is our right, no our destiny to control the future of the magic world.

Today, after you have left this level one meeting, we here at the society do not wish you to think on hating muggles, or half bloods. We only want you to think on how much better you are than other people because of your race. You are superior because you were borne of a pure magical lineage. It is important that you all start to spend more time with your own kind, so that you come to discuss the great honor of being of pure blood. What we must fight for, politically I mean is to protect the existence of our race, our people, and the sustenance of our children and the purity of our blood. Now again we're not talking about harming anyone, but clearly an expulsion of the people who are purely Muggleborn will be necessary. I say to you all that you should watch your non pureblood neighbor, view them with suspicion. One day they will try and take your job. One day they will falsely accuse you of being a death eater, like poor Luscious Malfoy, whose trial will begin in a few days. We here in the Society of Truth, Uniformity, Purity, Intellectualism and Domination have condemned such accusations against such an upstanding member of society, that was convicted largely on the accusations of a boy who last year was being called mental, and a danger in the papers, and a Head Master well known for the favoritism that he gives the mudbloods. But it is blood traitors like this who are the worst in our society. Purebloods that chose the impure over our own kind can not truly be trusted by anyone. But perhaps we can not blame old Dumbledore completely. Perhaps the rumors about Harry Potter having him under the imperious curse are true. Perhaps he trusted the impure to much, let his guard down, and now is merely a puppet in our hands.

"**What rumors? I haven't heard such rumors, this is all bullocks."** Cho shouted. Professor Watson heard her and turned his attention to her.

"Well miss, of coarse you wouldn't have heard such rumors, you see the Muggleborn, and half bloods control the media in this nation. Whatever they want printed they print, weather it's true or not. And whatever they don't want printed they don't." Professor Watson replied. His speech went on for two hours, and he also talked about the benefits that purebloods would have when the Muggleborn went away. That they would inherit the homes and brooms of the Muggleborn, and the shops that they owned. He spoke of how when the time was right that purebloods would enact an edict exiling all the non purebloods from the Wizarding World. Claiming how there were not enough Purebloods in the United Kingdom, the Professor than spoke of the need for the pureblood women of the UK to do what the members of the society in Europe, Africa, and North, and South America were doing. It seemed that the women who had eight or more kids were given out medals, and given money to support the growing family. C

Cho wanted to throw up. She couldn't stand much more of this. She tugged on Marietta's arm. "How much longer, do I have to listen to this wanker?" Cho asked. Marietta and Danielle both gasped.

"Professor Ian Watson is the greatest man whoever lived Chang. And were about to go into a break. After that he will give his final speech, and we can go and meet him. I know that you will change your mind about everything if you talk to him personally." Marietta said.

"I don't want to talk to him at all." Cho said. Marietta gave her a dirty look.

"Well it's to bad Chang, because I'll not cure Nancy until you have heard him out." Marietta said.

"If you go back on your word Marietta, I'll make you pay for it." Cho said in a threatening tone.

"Humph. I'll keep my end of the bargain Cho, you just keep yours." Marietta countered. Soon the speech ended, and Marietta and Danielle got up to go to the lavatory. Marietta looked back at Cho.

"Well Cho, are you coming?" Marietta asked.

"Look, I came here with you two to help my friend, that doesn't mean I have to be near you all the time. So get lost for a while." Cho said. Marietta and Danielle turned their noses up at Cho and walked away. Cho moved over to the wall of the tent. She was board, and she really didn't want to talk to anyone here. She looked over at the wall, and saw a small hole. Out of boredom Cho looked through it. When she saw what was on the other side of the tent her eyes went wide. It was the helicopter from the other night, parked outside. Suddenly Cho remembered where she had seen Professor Watson before. He was the passenger in the helicopter that day on the astronomy tower when she was talking with Dumbledore. But Cho felt that she had seen the professor somewhere before, somewhere else. Wait a minute, Cho thought. "_The witch who was taking the oath, in the yearbook picture, Watson was the one that was administering the oath to her." _Cho remembered. He was much, much older now, but she recognized him still. He was a student at Hogwarts once, a long time ago. _"Marietta's aunt said that he was banned, why?" _Cho wandered. Marietta and Danielle eventually returned back to their seat, and Cho had to listen to the rest of the agonizingly stupid hate filled speech. Finally it was over, and the Professor thanked everyone for coming, and walked off stage. Marietta and Danielle told Cho to come and meet him, but now it was time for Cho to have words with Marietta.

"Forget in Marietta, I don't want to hear anymore hate speech. I'm sick to death of it. Now let me see the cure for Nancy!" Cho said angrily.

"**Don't talk to me like that! You're not on to friendly a ground here. Didn't you hear? People around here don't like blood traitors.** Look, I'll give you the cure after you talk to the professor, I promise." Marietta said sincerely.

Soon Cho found herself in the back office of Professor Ian Watson, which was guarded by a mean looking witch in brown robes. Marietta walked up to her and asked her to tell Professor Watson that Marietta Edgencombe and company were here to see him. The Witch went in for a minute, and when she returned beckoned them inside.


	43. Chapter 43

AntiBush: Thanks for the info about Roark's Drift. It's good to know that the sight has been so well preserved. I would have liked to have visited it one day. But I guess I'll have to settle for the two really great films on that war, Zulu, and Zulu Dawn. Also on some History Channel Documentaries. The Zulu did have guns captured from Islandwana, and through they were not the most accurate shots, anyone firing a gun in your direction is a danger. Well, Harry is not exactly sure what he is looking for in a girl right now. He wants to be with Cho, but he doesn't want to be constantly shadowed by Cedric's ghost so to speak, which is why he thinks that Cho still cries, despite Luna saying that is wasn't. He also suspects that Cho may be with Marietta on the whole pureblood thing, because of her behaving so strangely. He will develop stronger fears in this chapter through misunderstanding. But I'll remedy that soon.

As for Katie Leung. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if she's not who you pictured for Cho, you can imagine anyone you want. When I went to the GOF premier, with my Phipillina friend she dressed as Cho, and so did every other Asian girl there, true story. I was like wow! Any of them would be a good Cho. In the end I guess Cho can be whoever you picture her to be, after all Stephen Spielberg didn't end up doing the first HP film because he always pictured Haley Joel Osment as Harry Potter. **_That said, let me say that I think that Katie Leung is excessively, stunningly, gloriously, physically perfect!_** And I can assure you that I was not in the least disappointed in the casting.

As for Cho being a spy, err… no, it's an interesting idea, but I didn't plan to go that rout. I know that Dumbledore is usually supposed to be in the fics, and believe me **I like Dumbledore! **However, he's too knowledgeable and would pick up on Marietta to quick if he were at the castle all the time. I need to have him constantly engaging You-Know-Who's forces in Europe, or at least looking for them. Basically I'm trying to give him an excuse for not getting involved. Sort of like I guess that you don't call the SWAT team for a shoplifter, especially if you have a hostage situation at the bank. And just for now, that's what it appears as. Cho will speak to him soon, but I had to get this stuff in this chapter out of the way soon, but remember the library. There was evidence when she brought her claims to her head of house, Professor Flitwick, and Professor McGonagall. She fears that if she goes to Dumbledore she will not have proof because of Marietta covering it up. But she will talk to him.

About the character of Fiona Burrows. You're not the only one with a lot of time on his hands. I really do like the name Fiona, and always planed to use it. But I did get it from Fiona Shaw (The actress who plays Harry's aunt. And her last name Burrows is the last name of Fiona Shaw's real life lover, Saffron Burrows, (the girl from the movie: Deep Blue Sea)

Thanks for reading my fic, and posting, I really and grateful, and although I may seem to leave some stuff out, I will eventually try and bring it all together, and stay with cannon in the end. So please bear with me, this is the first story I've ever written, and it's not going to be very good because of that. But I'll do my best. :)

Froggie2: Thanks for the review. I actually based the society's hatred on three groups. One the Nazi's obviously who have that whole, if you're not white your inferior. Two the Islamic extremist groups in the UK, who have that whole, if you're not Muslim your inferior, and three the HP fan girls that believe that if you're not with HP 100 on everything your evil. AKA: There hate sights dedicated to Cho Chang. I'm afraid that you'll have to wait a little longer to have Harry and Cho hook up, really sorry.:( But I'm working on it. Harry is not emotionally happy being with Fiona, it's more physically. But give me a little time, I'm working on it. I wish I could have gotten Harry and Cho together already, but I'm not good at this. Again, I'm very grateful for the reviews, and that you get so caught up in the story. I'll try to get the chapters as soon as possible.

Tamar Blackflame: Thanks for the review, and I'm sorry about the misspellings, eventually I will have everything beta read, but priority goes to having the chapters finished, and posted, ASAP. Suspense, thanks, ironic this was supposed to be a strait up romance fic, but I'm having trouble getting my favorite paring together. Sorry this is my first, and likely last fic, so it's hard for me to push on to the point for fear of falling in plot holes. But I'll try and speed things up.

The Phoenix King: Thanks for the review; well I just thought that Harry was kind of the James Bond of the Magic world, and that Voldermort would not always be his nemesis. So I added another group of baddies, and an unlikely threat from with in the school for him to go against, but don't underestimate Marietta, after all she is in Ravenclaw, and her wit, and intelligence may be too much for Harry. Remember that brute force doesn't win every battle.

OK everyone, I have to issue a very serious apology to you all. I promised that I would have Dumbledore play a prominent roll in this chapter, and believe me, it was my every **_intention_** to do so. But I realized that it would leave a lot of plot holes to do so, and I don't want that. I will have a lot about the society explained in the next chapter, and I'm very, very sorry about not being able to keep my promise. I thank everyone for their reviews, and hope that I can keep in interesting for you.

**Chapter 43: A Place in the Ministry**

**Harry's POV:**

Harry and Fiona sat on a bench outside the back of the Witch's Brew snogging passionately. They had been going at it for a while now, and Harry was at first shy about the intimate encounter, but Fiona guided him through what Harry was supposed to do each step of the way. Harry was surprised because she seemed to know everything to do. Fiona was two years younger than Harry, yet she seemed to have so much more experience. But then Harry guessed that most people had more experience than he did anyway. He had only ever kissed Cho, and really didn't know what to do after a kiss. Harry wanted to relay and be in the moment, but many emotions were running through his head all at once. Harry was feeling confused about feelings that he was having for Cho, guilt about the letter that he had sent to Hermione, erotic pleasure at being touched by Fiona, and finally a little scared because he didn't know what to do next. Fiona gently placed her hand on Harry's arm and took his nervously shaky hand and brought it to her left brest, instructing him to rub it. Fiona's body was warm in the Scottish weather, and her breast firm, and Harry was becoming even more aroused. Fiona started whispering into Harry's ear that she wanted him to give her a French kiss. Harry hesitated, confused, but Fiona seemed to pick up on it, and guided him to the next step.

Harry was just starting to enjoy the feeling of having his tong massaged by Fiona's when a friend's voice interrupted them.

"What's the meaning of this paper Harry?" Hermione asked holding up a parchment that had been delivered by owl to the table that she and Luna had been sitting at in the three Broomsticks. The two of them pulled away from each other in surprise, both of them forgetting in the heat of the moment that they had sent for Hermione. Hermione observed the bright red color of Harry's lips from Fiona's lipstick. "Oh! Sorry to interrupt… _but you did send for me." _Hermione said embarrassed. Harry and Fiona stood up.

"Um, Hermione, well the thing is that… Fiona wants to _just the three_ of us hang out together. Well um… she's not comfortable with Luna, and I thought that I could hang out with Luna later. I mean… I don't have to hang out with all my friends at once right?" Harry asked, although he felt guilty trying to avoid Luna. _What am I doing, Luna is my friend. I shouldn't listen to Fiona, Hermione is really about to give it to me about being an arse. _Harry thought. Hermione looked at the two of them for a minute with a very strange stare, as if trying to find a clue for the odd request to avoid Luna. Eventually Hermione smiled.

"Okay, I made an excuse for you, and mentioned that I had to go meet someone in private, and I think that she bought it. Let's go down to the rally that that society group is holding Harry." Hermione said. Harry's jaw dropped.

"You want to go to the rally? But Hermione, you're a Muggleborn. I mean, they hate you. Why would you want to go there? You can't join those society people." Harry said in shock. Hermione laughed.

"Oh, no Harry. I don't want to go there to join the society people, but to join the protesters there. A bunch of people are demonstration their disgust at the group, and I want to join _them._ Not the wankers that are holding the rally." Hermione finished, tickled by the misunderstanding. Harry gave a deep sigh of relief.

"Oh, I thought that you had gone mental for a second there. Thanks for elaborating on that." Harry said with gratitude.

"Look, I'm a half blood, so I have no love for that society either, but… well this is the United Kingdom. I mean, don't they have the legal right to spout there views." Fiona put in.

"Oh yes, as much as I hate their views, I believe that they have the right to spew their garbage, I just want to let them know that there are people here who think that their full of it. So I'm going to go and freely express myself as well." Hermione said proudly. Anyway there will be a lot of people there that thank the way that we do, so I thank that it will be fun to be around like minded people. Are you two game?" Hermione finished. After some discussion Harry and Fiona agreed to go protest the rally with Hermione. She had asked if the two of them had seen wrong, but Harry decided to say that they had not to avoid upsetting Hermione with the drama that telling her that they say Ron with yet another girl would bring. Fiona gave Harry a confused glance, but followed his lead. After a short walk Harry asked Fiona if she wouldn't mind him talking to Hermione in private. Fiona agreed, and Harry pulled Hermione over to the corner of a building. He fidgeted about nervously before asking her what he wanted to.

"Um Hermione, aren't you curious to know why I asked you to ditch Luna? I mean we're all friends' right?" Harry asked a guilty look on his face. Hermione sighed, and started to frown.

"Well honestly Harry… I was just rather glad to be away from her. I mean… she's going with Ron, and… I'm now uncomfortable being around her. Look I know that she's a nice girl, but, I'm in an awkward position. I don't want to hang out with the girl who dating my… you knows what I mean Harry. Harry nodded his head.

"I understand Hermione, but… Ron and Luna, she isn't his girlfriend you know. He doesn't want to have a girlfriend right now. She's just dating him, that's all." Harry said plainly.

"It's enough to make me uncomfortable Harry. No why are _you_ trying to avoid her." Hermione said in a serious tone, as she folded her arms. It only made Harry blush more.

"Well, the thing is that Fiona doesn't like Luna." Harry said slowly. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Really, why not?" Hermione asked with intrigue.

"Because she has a reputation in this school of being… well… weird. Ya know. All her stories about strange creatures and well… stuff like that. She also is kind of known as being an airhead, you know. But I think that mostly it's because she's not popular. Fiona's into hanging out with a select group of people. Fiona doesn't think that we should associate with her. Look, I'm not even sure of my feelings for Fiona, but I don't agree, I'll spend time with Luna later, but I thought that I just wanted to go out on a date now. I don't have a lot of experience with girls you see, and I just need one date to go smoothly. I can change Fiona's mind about Luna later." Harry finished. Hermione nodded.

"Well Harry, I can't say that I like Fiona's reasoning. But I would be hypocritical if I told you off for avoiding Luna. I suppose that we just have to deal with the problem later. You'll eventually have to let Fiona no that you're not the type to exclude others if there not popular. But, well no offence to Luna, but I'm just glad that I didn't have to be with her right now. I don't blame her for the situation, but she is part of my problem. Look, Harry, you can tell Fiona about it later, but quite frankly I really don't want to be around Luna unless I have to right now. It's not because I think that she's unpopular, but because… it's just awkward." Harry nodded; it looks like he was going to have to divide his time up amongst a lot of people these days, between Ron, and Luna, and Hermione. _Good grief, what a nightmare!_ _Fiona and I are going to have a long talk when we get back to the castle. I'm not going to let her chose my friends. _Harry thought. Harry, and Hermione returned to Fiona, and the three continued on their way to the rally. As they reached the crest of a hill, they looked down on a large tent with people with signs protesting outside the gates being held back by Ministry of Magic police, as wizards and witches exited out wearing the black teardrop armbands of the society.

"Wow, looks like a big crowd on either side, where are we going to be?" Fiona asked. Hermione balled her hands up into fist upon looking at the banners of the society members.

"Were going to be right up near the front, so that we can tell those gits what we think of them, let's go." Hermione stated.

**Cho's POV:**

Cho sat in the chair listening to Professor Ian Watson ramble on about the profits that the Purebloods were going to reap from the Muggleborn and half bloods when they were expelled from the wizarding society. She was sick of hearing him talk and about to leave. Marietta was sitting in another chair beside Cho, and Danielle had left to speak with potential recruits.

"So you see Miss Chang, some of these Muggleborn, and half bloods have nice houses, and brooms, which will be distributed to us when they are gone. And Marietta has a lot of important connections in the Ministry, you'll not only be well compensated, but you can have a position of power, as well. Not that I usually go around giving offers like this to just anyone, but Marietta says that you have a natural talent for leadership. She says that you're very popular at school and that we can count on you to convince many of the Purebloods to side with us. Now how about it. You can take the oath now if you'd like." Professor Watson finished. After a moment of silence Cho stood up, and looked at Professor Watson.

"Are ya quite finished with your recruiting speech?" Cho asked coldly. Professor Watson seemed taken aback with her attitude.

"Err… well yea. I am." The Professor said quietly. Cho turned her back on him and walked over to where Marietta was standing.

"Marietta, where is the formula?" Cho asked in a very unfriendly tone. Marietta pulled a glass vile with red potion from her jacket, and held it out to Cho. Cho grabbed for it, but Marietta pulled it away at the last second. She tossed her head playfully.

"Or you know Cho… you could let me destroy it, and… I could guarantee you a spot in the Ministry upon leaving school. All you have to do is take the oath. Come on, why you don't just let me toss it out, what's one mudblood less in the world, but a better world. Cho looked at Marietta with a hateful vengeance; it was all she could do to keep from beating her senseless. Cho knew that just beyond the door were several society members that would swarm her if she tried that, but it didn't matter. Cho thought.

"Marietta… give me the fucking antidote or _I'll kill you."_ Cho said without emotion. Professor Watson's face was one of confusion.

"I don't understand, I thought that you two were friends. What is that antidote?" The Professor asked curiously.

"I didn't want to come here and hear all this garbage today. Marietta made my friend sick, and said that the only way that she would give me the cure was if I came here and listened to this garbage. I would have gone to the Masters, but Marietta has a knack for covering up evidence. So I had to agree to come here. So, give me the antidote right now." Cho said grabbing Marietta by the collar and pinning her against the wall.

"Marietta is this true? Did you make her friend sick, to get her to come here?" Professor Watson asked. Marietta gave an innocent look.

"Well not entirely. You see I just happened to read up on the cure, and made some, but… well I didn't have anything to do with making her friend sick…"

"**Lire!" **Cho interrupted shouting in Marietta's face.

"Now, now Miss Chang, there is no need to shout. Finish what you were saying Marietta, and Miss Chang please let go of her, she's not going anywhere." Professor Watson finished. Marietta gently pushed Cho off of her with one hand, still holding the antidote in the other, and giving Cho a hateful look, equal to the one that Cho was giving her.

"As I was saying, I had nothing to do with getting her friend sick, but did happen to know a cure for her. I mean I already cured her di… err her other friend, but that one I did out of the goodness of my heart. But why should I spend all my time making cures for those people, and not be in some way compensated. So I had Cho agree to come here today as payment." Marietta was going to call Beverly a dyke, but changed her mind when she saw that Cho was about to punch her. She still remembered the pain from the last time that she had teased Beverly, and how Cho had been sent to the Head Master, and she had been sent to hospital.

"Marietta, you don't have a heart. And I've kept up my end, now give me the potion." Cho said holding out her hand.

"Look Cho, we're offering you the chance of a lifetime. Money, power, and eventually fame. What else could be more important?" Marietta asked.

"Friendship Marietta, something I would never expect you to understand." Cho said agitated.

"Hump. I have better friends than you Cho. I have a better class of friends than you will ever have; you soil yourself with _those people. _You were supposed to understand what we are all about after coming here." Marietta finished.

"Believe me Marietta, I know exactly what your all about, now give me the vile with the antidote." Marietta looked at it for a second, and then looked at Cho. She slowly reached for her wand in her back pocket.

"_Noooo_, I think you need to hear some more of what we have to say first." Marietta said coldly. Cho also began reaching for her own wand, when the two girls were both distracted by Professor Watson.

"**Enough of this! Marietta give her the antidote." **The Professor said in an authoritive tone. Marietta turned to the Professor surprised.

"But… but she has to…" Marietta started.

"Just give it to her and let her be on her way. You should never have brought her here." The Professor said. Marietta looked at Cho with anger, and held out the vile.

"Last chance Chang, I'm being very generous. You won't get this opportunity again." Marietta finished. Cho looked at her coldly for a second, snatched the vile from her hand, and stormed out the door. Cho walked through an area where society people were eating at some tables, and when she had almost reached the exit heard a familiar voice call her.

"Cho! Cho, I'm so glad that you changed your mind, and decided to join us." A boy said happily. It was Ian Lewis, her former friend whom she had helped with his schoolwork, and who had later kicked her, teased her, and accused her of eating cat**_.(Chapter 31)_** Ian ran up and hugged her as if none of his torment had ever taken place. Cho pushed him off of her.

"What are you talking about, _join you?" _Cho asked. Ian looked around the tent confused.

"Well, join us, the society. You're here to take the oath, to become a member. Right?" Ian asked. Cho gave a disgusted look.

"Ian, you kicked me, you used racial slurs against me, and you…" Cho began but Ian cut her off.

"Oh look Cho; I'm sorry about that, really I am, but now your one of us. Now, were all going to move ahead as one victorious society. That's why you're here." Ian said excited.

"Ian, I'm here because Marietta blackmailed me to be here. I don't believe what you stand for. Look you used to be a nice person. Get out of here, and just stay away from these people, and the belief that your better than anyone else because you family were magic users. I'm out of here." Cho finished. She walked out of the tent to find Danielle screaming at protesters who were kept back by metal gates, and Ministry police. Danielle smiled.

"Oh, Cho how have you been. Did Professor Watson convince you?" Danielle asked. Cho smiled.

"He certainly did…. He convinced me that you're all a bunch of first class gits." Cho said. Danielle's smile turned to a frown. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a shout from the crowd.

"Cho? Cho what where you doing in there?" the boy on the other side of the gate asked. Danielle and Cho turned to see a very surprised Harry Potter and company. Danielle remembered that Cho had deep feelings for Harry Potter, and quickly formulated a plan to use to her advantage. She thrust some flyers in a surprised Cho's hands, and put her arm around Cho, looking back at Harry Potter with a smile.

"I'll tell you what she's doing here. Cho is a very high ranking member of our society to get rid of mudbloods; she's one of the guest speakers today. You should have heard what she said; it was very hateful against you people." Danielle said quickly. Cho's eyes went wide.

"What!" she said with shock. Cho then looked at Harry.

"Harry it's not true, I didn't even want to be here today. I…" Cho started, but was cut off by Danielle.

"Oh, I'm sorry Cho, I forgot. You said that you didn't want him to know that you were here today, so that you could pretend to be his friend, and plot behind his back. Opps sorry, um forget I said that. Yea Potter, she didn't want to be here today. She's not with us." Danielle said trying to sound like she was badly acting.

"**Shut up!"** Cho screamed at Danielle. Cho looked back at Harry, who shook his head, grabbed Fiona by the arm, and muttered "lets go." To her.

"Harry, Harry… I'm not a part of this really." Cho said pleadingly as Harry and his friends walked away. Cho started after them, but Danielle grabbed the back of her collar from behind.

"Wait a minute, where do you think your going? You're not going to convince him now, _blood traitor_." Danielle said. Cho reached of her wand and zapped Danielle with an airburst charm that sent her flying against the gates on the opposite side of the protesters. Cho looked back towards Harry, but he had already gone. Out of the corner of her eye Cho saw two society Witches in brown robes pointing wands at her. She turned too late to raise her own wand, but someone else behind her yelled a couple of shield charms, and the stunning spells were both blocked. A second set of spells sent the wands of the society witches flying past Cho's head, behind her. The crowd of protesters cheered, and Cho spun around to face Dumbledore. He looked in her eyes, and then gazed around at his surroundings, the protesters, police, society members, and the large tent, and banners with the black teardrop.

"Head Master, I… I've nothing to do with this I swear." Cho started. Dumbledore looked down into her tear-filled eyes. He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Miss Chang, you have a lot of explaining to do. I want to see you in my office first thing Monday morning. I think that you need to head back to the school for now. Go ahead. I have to have a little chat with Professor Ian Watson. Cho started walking back to the school at fast pace in a hurry to get to Madam Pomfrey's office, and deliver the cure for her friends illness. Then she would start packing, and Monday, after she had been expelled by the Head Master, and have her wand broken, she would leave Hogwarts forever, _a disgrace to her family. _


	44. Chapter 44

Froggie2: Well, lets just say that eventually Harry will come around, but not before feelings get hurt. Also he has suspected Cho might be against him for a while now, the incident in the potions lab, running into a girl with an invisibility cloak, and not seeing Cho come back toward the North Tower. Of coarse that's because she went in and out the window on her broom, but Harry doesn't know that. Ditto on Katie. But here's some bad news. I heard that they cut the part of Marietta Edgencombe from the story, and may make Cho the sneak. Even though that's not her character, and will mean a lot more Cho/Katie hate sights on the net. :( Thanks for the review.

T-person: Well she thinks that she will be expelled. Remember Cho thinks the worst right now, because lately the worst is happening to her. A victim of racism, a brutal beating, not being able to prove Marietta attacked her, and her friends getting sick I may have her drop out, maybe that is, but Dumbledore is a fair man, and will try and come up with a solution. Thanks for the review.

imakeeper: No, he's still the typical Asian father, he just has a lot to deal with right now. Those goblins work him hard, and he has to take care of his wife, and the post has stopped at Hogwarts too. Besides where do you go from the best wizarding school. And even if Cho does attend another school, she'll still be worried about her mum, and besides, it's her final year. Thanks very much for all the review; I was responding to them as you were typing them, it was very hard to keep up, as you're a fast reader.

Hello again everyone. Well, this is chapter 44, and it lets you know what the society really has planed for the muggle, and wizarding world, and what the history of Professor Watson and Dumbledore is. Also Marietta gives a report to her leader. The whole thing takes place right after Cho leaves the room, after telling off Professor Watson off, which is why it takes Dumbledore a little time to get to Watson. Thanks to all who posted a review:)

**Chapter 44: A Crime from Long Ago.**

Marietta stood nervously under her Master's gaze. Things had not gone at all as she planed, and now it had made her look bad in front of the Professor. She had miscalculated the effect hearing the society's messages would have on Cho. Marietta had believed that anyone would have welcomed wealth and power over hanging out with mudbloods. Besides she had taken it for granted that Cho would be easily swayed by the opportunity to work in the Ministry of Magic, as they had both talked about it since their second year. But instead Cho had insulted Marietta's hero right in front of her, and now he was looking down at her with what seemed like suppressed rage.

"What the hell was all that about Marietta? You assured me that she would be a valuable asset to the society. You assured me that you would have her mind changed by the time you got her down here. And you bring her in here and she insults me? Do you think that this is acceptable?" Professor Watson said in an agitated voice. Marietta lowered her head in shame.

"Well answer me, and look at me when I'm talking to you." He continued. Marietta looked up with a nervous look on her face.

"Professor I… I'm so embarrassed. I never thought that she would do that. I thought that after you spoke with her she would understand. I'm so very sorry. I'll talk with her some more and…" Marietta started, but was cut off by the Professor.

"No, no more of this nonsense with the Chang girl. Just cut your losses, and forget about it. It's been distracting you from your main goals, and by the way I see that Potter is not yet the villain that we need him to be. Have you even been working at that at all?" the Professor Continued.

"I have Professor, truly. Potter is insane, or at least that's what everyone will think. I did something very brutal for which Potter will be blamed, once the other students and the papers believe that and print it up, and then you'll be free to kill him." Marietta said proudly.

"I hope so for your sake. It was good to hear your report about the Quidditch game, and it's unfortunate that we haven't been able to exchange any information because of the censorship of the post at Hogwarts. So now that you're here give me a full report, what have you been doing since the Quidditch match to turn Potter against the school?" The Professor asked.

"Fortunately my work has been cut out for me. Potter has had a row with the Yule ball committee, and he particularly offended a couple of purebloods named Padma Patel, and Allen Miller. So, thanks to our special friend Potter ended up killing the girl." Marietta finished.

"**What! This is an outrage, your not to kill any purebloods. Do you know how few of us there are in the United Kingdom?" **Professor screamed. Marietta put a finger to her lips indicating that Professor Watson should be quite, and not shout such things out loud. He looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"The room is sound proofed Marietta, no one can here us." He said.

"Oh, I didn't know. Look, it had to be a pureblood. You don't think that we could show that Potter and Dumbledore are plotting against our kind if I had him kill off an insignificant mudblood do you? It was a one time thing that I didn't like having to do, but sacrifices must be made. Once the papers release that Potter has killed a pureblood than we will have more people flock to our cause. Thank of the outrage. Potter will be seen as a champion for them, and of coerce Dumbledore will coddle, and defend him as he always does with his kind. People will see that the head master shows favoritism to the mudbloods, _blood traitor_ that he is and he will lose credibility… that is until our Dumbledore retracts his defense of Potter. I can assure you that this will be the last time that it's necessary." Marietta said. Professor Watson walked to his chair, sat down and thought on it for a moment.

"I suppose… that you do have a point. I mean if he does kill one of us and Dumbledore does deny the accusations despite the evidence, than it can only show his biased. So, that's why they have cut off post to the school, to keep it quite eh. Funny, when you Uncle Filch was here he didn't mention it. You'd think that he would report such a thing." Professor Watson said. Marietta shook her head.

"No, I don't know why they have cut off the post, but no one has found the body yet… however, it's only a mater of time." Marietta said confidently. Professor Watson rubbed his goatee in deep thought.

"Very strange about the post. I'll have to have our spies look into it. Your Uncle when he was here did have some interesting things to say though. Do you know what he told me that was very interesting?" Watson said in a sinister voice. Marietta sighed.

"I can only guess that it was not favorable, my dear uncle and I have no love for each other, the cause, and society are about the only things that we have in common." Marietta stated. Professor Watson leaned toward Marietta with an angry look in his eyes.

"**He told me that you're shagging that… that… creature! Marietta you are to be a birthing mother for the society for a year, you must be pure! You cannot go around laying with Magical Creatures, stick with your own race!"** The Professor suddenly screamed at her. Marietta shot up out of her chair, both angry, and afraid.

"I do stick with my own race! Whenever he takes on the form of a pureblood, he takes on the genetic structure of that Pureblood exactly. So I only have sex with him, when he takes on the form of a pureblood." Marietta defended herself.

"_It_ is an _it_, not a he. _It _has no sex, and though _it_ takes on the exact genetic structure of a human, _it_ is still a creature, and after _it _takes over as Dumbledore you will terminate this relationship, do you understand Marietta?" Professor Watson demanded angrily. Marietta did not wish to incur the wrath of her teacher for these many years, but she wanted to continue the relationship with her love after the mission had been accomplished.

"I don't see what the problem is professor, if I'm to be a birthing mother to purebloods, than he can become any pureblood that he wants to impregnate me later. So long as he impersonates a pureblood, then it shouldn't make any difference." Marietta stated, offering a solution to the professors concerns. Professor Watson rolled his eyes again.

"Well, for someone who has developed such feelings for the thing, you seem to have neglected to find out about its history. _It cannot reproduce! _Marietta was shocked into silence by the revelation, and could only manage a weak, "oh." Professor Watson gazed deep into to Marietta's eyes, and she felt as if her were peering into her very sole.

"Perhaps… you're not up to this after all. Perhaps I placed too much responsibility on a mere school girl, maybe I should transfer control to… _your dear Uncle. _Marietta jumped in horror at the idea of being under the control of her uncle.

"No Professor, I… I'm doing a good job; I just need a little more time to allow the fruits of my labor to bloom, so to speak. I can assure you that Potter will be a villain in the magical world in good time. I have made it my top priority, and I have even come up with a way to open a teaching position or two, to allow society members a chance at teaching positions. But you need to have everyone in the society, both known members, and secrete members raise protest when Dumbledore appoints another magical creature, or another mudblood to the post first, which he is sure to do. I mean look at who he's put in so far, a virtual collection of mutants that belong in a carnival freak show more than the greatest wizarding school of all time. A half Giant, a mudblood Herbology teacher, and that half horse, have man monster Centaur that he appointed. You should start filing legal protest that Dumbledore is discriminating against purebloods by refusing to give them a chance to apply for positions at the school. It will show that he wants to alienate us from positions of leadership. Professor Watson leaned back in his chair, and looked at Marietta curiously.

"Hummm, and how do you plan to do that, open new teaching positions for us to put one of our own people in?" Professor Watson asked. Marietta gave her instructor a large smile.

"Leave that to me, I only ask your trust in my abilities. You've trained me well, and soon I will show you that your confidence and training will pay off. I just need some more time." Marietta said confidently. Professor Watson smiled.

"Very well Marietta, since you did come up with the plan in the first place and you have shown such great ability to learn the dark arts, than I suppose that I can allow you to maintain full control of the operation. You uncle will be very disappointed.

"I noticed that we had some new guest from the school this afternoon. Can I assume that I largely have you and the other society children to thank for that?" Professor Pinefield asked.

"Of coarse Professor, even though as I told you in one of my last post that Dumbledore forbid our material from the school, we have talked with several students. In particular I've had a chance to talk to Pollyanna Millsworth **(Chapter 14)**, since we now room together, and since everyone else in the room is a society member, I think that she's realizing how important her magical background is. She said that she was ready to take the oath today." Marietta finished happily.

"Exhalent, and tell me Marietta, what did you think of my speech today? I personally thought it was one of my best ever." Professor Watson said full of Pride. Marietta thought about her next words carefully before responding. She didn't want to upset her master, but she felt that after listening to it that she needed to respond.

"Well, honestly sir… I thought it was lacking. I didn't care for it so much." Marietta said respectfully. Professor Watson raised an eyebrow.

"Lacking? Explain yourself Miss Edgencombe." The Professor demanded.

"Well, I don't think that it was forceful enough for my liking. I more prefer your speeches at the level three, and four meetings, about what we really have planned for the mudbloods, and muggles. I prefer when you dehumanize their kind in your speeches, and talk of forcibly removing them, and imprisoning them. I just missed all that." Marietta finished. Professor Watson smiled.

"Is that all, well Marietta, you do realize that this is a level one meeting because we need to recruit more people to our cause, and we can't just go around telling our potential new members that we plan to kill off a bunch of mudbloods, and blood traitors to achieve our ends. I mean people wouldn't understand, you have to work these things in slowly over time, let the brain washing seep in. If I gave a level three speech to first arrivals, they would be running out of the rally to join the enemy. Don't you agree?" Professor Watson explained. Marietta nodded her head.

"Yes professor, it's just that… I miss the more hateful speeches, that's all. Those are the ones that fill me with the pride of being a pureblood the most. I'm so used to hearing them, that it's hard for me to get used to the more subtle, and passive level one and two rallies, that's all. But I do understand the need to bring some people in more slowly sir." Marietta said sincerely.

"Good, I'm glad that you agree. This summer, you will be able to hear plenty of those, and one day, _our Dumbledore_ will be joining me on the stage to condemn the mudbloods, as well. Now moving on, how have the spells I taught you this summer to cover up evidence worked. I hope you have not had to use them, but if you have, I'm curious to know how well you can cast them." Marietta nodded her head.

"Yes professor, I've had occasion to use them while dealing with Cho. I, we, that is some other society kids, and I had to teach her a lesson, apparently one that she didn't learn about being to accepting of others. We roughed her up a bit, but using the spells that you taught me, I was able to cover everything up. It's made everything easer, and even backfired on her when she went to the masters. Because there was no evidence to her accusation that I attacked her, she got into trouble, not me." Marietta said.

"Very good covering your tracks like that Marietta, but as I said, no more of this Chang girl business. And I'll have filch get rid of the body in the coffin as well, I can't believe that I let you talk me into that, what was I thinking?" Watson said. Marietta jumped in panic again.

"Look, there is no need for that; I'll put the issue with Cho joining us aside, besides I need to use it to further vilify Potter. Chang still has an unwitting part to play in that weather she is with us or not. It wasn't just because I thought I owed her a favor that I wanted her on our side, but I promise that she still has a very important part to play in making Potter the enemy of every student in the school. That was actually the plan all along; I can guarantee condemnation of Potter if I use it. Trust me Professor please." Marietta pleaded. Professor Watson looked at Marietta trying to judge her true intentions.

"You're sure that you're planning to use it against Potter, not as part of a plan to bring your friend over to our side?" Professor Watson asked. Marietta nodded.

"I can assure you that it will be the next phase of my plan, but I need to wait until after they find the body of the girl first. I promise you that you will see results Professor." Marietta stated in a confident tone. Professor Watson nodded his head, opened a drawer to his desk, and pulled out a thick black book. He handed it across the desk to Marietta, who took it and looked it over. She then raised her head to look at Professor Watson.

"Another dark book? With no title." Marietta said blankly.

"More spells that you need to learn. Jinxes, and so fourth. The darkest of the dark arts. Remember to cover up all evidence each time that you use one in practice. Dumbledore might know that something's going on in his castle, no matter how secret that you act. I've spent years learning the spells of concealment, and much time teaching you. Dumbledore will never be defeated by brute force. His end must be met with shred cunning. Oh! I almost forgot." The Professor reached back into his desk, and grabbed an envelope, which he handed to Marietta. She looked at it curiously, and then looked back to the professor.

"What's, this?" she asked.

"What you asked for in your last letter before the post was cut off. A report on the Chang girl's mum's medical file. Though, she wasn't in St. Mungoes as you had suspected, but in a muggle hospital. Marietta gasped.

"Oh god, you mean the Changs' are trusting those people to take care of her over our own?" Marietta said in shock. Professor Watson nodded. "I see. Well I guess that Cho has finally been a bad influence on the rest of her family. Pity, I had such respect for them for keeping the blood lines pure, and now they are associating with those people. How is her mother?" Marietta asked.

"Do I look like I have time to go through those peoples reports? You read through it, she was your friend. Did you get a PO box number from the post office?" The professor continued. Marietta nodded her head. "Good, then it will be easer for you to exchange information from now on. Make sure that you don't miss a Hogwarts trip, at least until this agonizing problem with the Ministry; going through everyone's post is over. I imagine that their going through our correspondence to each other right now." Professor Watson said in an irritated voice.

"No need for us to worry, everything's in ancient goblin, and even if they can find a translator, it's all coded." Marietta smiled. Professor Watson nodded his head.

"Yes, well rather annoying, it takes about two days to translate your code... but I suppose that you can never be to cautious. Alright, you report back to me next Hogsmead visit, in the meantime take this and go out back to my helicopter." Professor Watson said taking a piece of parchment out of his robe, and handing it to Marietta.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a spell to strengthen metal; I want you to use it to strengthen the main rotor blades of the helicopter. Those are the long spinning things on the top. Make sure that you do it right Marietta."

Now leave out the front of the tent, and…" Professor Watson was interrupted by a society wizard in a brown robe, who came in with a nervous look on his face.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you sir, but… the head master of Hogwarts is here, and he request an audience with you sir!" The man said, with slight panic to his voice. Professor Watson nodded his head, yes, Dumbledore, I had expected him on the first day of my return, and even announced my presence to get this meeting over with. But the man has the worst timing. Marietta sit down over there in the corner." Professor Watson said casually. He than went into a closet that was located on the right side of his desk, and stayed for a moment, until he came out holding a large cumbersome glass case with three holes in the middle of it. He walked over to Marietta, and placed it over her. She was completely surrounded by the box. "Now Marietta, this is a magical item that I had out best congerours create. You need only cast a simple spell, and you will be invisible to everyone in the room. But, unlike an invisibility cloak, if you utter a sound, the spell will be broken, and we will all be able to see and here you. So, no matter, what you see, and no matter what you hear, don't make a sound. I'm letting you hear this to help you plan for things to come. It's good to know your enemy, and Dumbledore is the biggest, most powerful enemy that we have. Now say this spell…" Professor Watson finished, and told Marietta to say a spell to activate the box. She did this, and in an instant disappeared from sight. Professor Watson looked down at the empty space, and nodded his approval. Now once Dumbledore has finished and left go to the far wall and make a tear in the wall big enough for you to fit through with your things. Then repair the tent from outside, and use the spell to strengthen the rotor blades on my helicopter. Then go back to the castle, and study some spells in the book. I'll send your friend Danielle back later. Professor Watson went back behind his desk, and sat down in his chair. He looked at the Wizard in the brown robe. "Well, go and show the Head Master in Reginald. And bring us some hot tea." Professor Watson said. The man nodded, and left the room.

A few minutes later Dumbledore walked in casually, and looked around the room. Professor Watson stood up, and offered his hand. "Dumbledore, what an honor this is. I had actually expected you much earlier. Come, please sit down. Professor Watson gestured to a seat. Dumbledore looked at him over his glasses, with an unpleasant look, but sat down slowly. "Now Dumbledore, it's good to see you. How have you been, still running the school I see…" Professor Watson continued, but was cut short.

"You may dispense with the pleasantries Mr. Watson. I'm here to ask you nicely to leave the United Kingdom, and never return. We don't need your type of hateful rhetoric here." Dumbledore said firmly. Professor Watson gave a smirk.

"Oh come now Dumbledore, surely we can take a little time to reminisce, I mean it has been a _very long time_. Don't you want to know what I've been up too since you had me banished?" Professor Watson said, with an evil grin. Dumbledore remained still.

"I can see what you've been up to more of the same. Filling others minds with your hate, like you always have. Nothings changed." Dumbledore said in a monotone. Professor Watson's grin got even bigger.

"Oh, but Dumbledore, things have changed. You see the society has grown in Europe to a large extent, as well as in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. We've gotten bigger, and been able to spread our message to more people around the world. And now were back where we started, in the Untied Kingdom. Fitting isn't it? We've come full circle, back to our beginnings." Professor Watson countered.

"Fitting? It's obscene that you've been allowed back here. I had to go to the Ministry of Magic to confirm that your banishment had been rescinded. There are far too many fools in the Magical government these days, but I have lodged my complaints none the less. I shall report on your little rally here today as well." Dumbledore countered.

"Look Dumbledore, it was perfectly legal for the Ministry to grant me a pardon, and this rally this weekend, next weekend, and whenever we feel like it, is also perfectly legal. I can assure you that you have no legal recourse to try and shut us down. Particularly since the good people of Hogsmead are so supportive of us." Professor Watson retorted. Dumbledore let out a slight chuckle. Ha, good people? It seems to me that the only good people of Hogsmead here are the ones that are outside the gates protesting." Dumbledore stated. Professor Watson leaned back in his chair.

"Those people, the purebloods amongst them, are misinformed by blood traitors like yourself, who show extreme biased against the purebloods, by hiring freaks horse-man mutants, horrid half giants, and mudbloods on your staff. You and your ilk have misled the people long enough and were going to inform everyone about your lies, and favoritism. However, if you thank that the society has no friends here, I would remind you that we're partially sponsored by a local pub, _The Three Broomsticks_, and I've seen several of its patrons here today." Watson said. Dumbledore nodded his agreement.

"Yes, I think that it is fitting that the three broomsticks support you since the owners, and patrons of that establishment have a reputation of being of the more dubious quality. Dumbledore, stood up, and walked over to the wall of the tent. He pulled out his wand, waved it, and made a window in the tent, to look out of. Without looking back at Watson he spoke. "Tell me, how many people know that your not really a Professor? I mean, the flyers did mention that you returned from banishment, but not that you were not allowed to attend any wizarding school." Dumbledore said casually. Watson sat up, and gave Dumbledore, who was still staring out the widow, an offended look.

"Everyone calls me Professor more out of respect. They know it's a title I would have attained, had I not been cheated out of." Watson said coldly.

"Humph, is that what you were, cheated out of it? I can see your helicopter from here. You made quite an entrance the other day. It sent me off to the Ministry immediately to find out what happened. I see that though you _hate everything_ about muggles, and their world that you don't have a problem using their transportation." Dumbledore countered.

"Well, you didn't give me much choice after breaking my wand, and banning me from using magic, did you Head Master." He replied.

"The choice was yours not to have your wand broken. You had only to do your school work, and not get into trouble. You could have accepted others as your equals, and even if you didn't think that they were, kept your opinions to yourself. But you had to start up this hateful organization in Hogwarts, and then encourage the purebloods that followed you to bully the other students. That was during my last years as head of house, if you'll remember. I suppose you never thought on me becoming head master in your final year, and perhaps your thought yourself invincible, and that because you were a pureblood that you could get away with anything. Now here you are back in the United Kingdom, and what's the first thing you do? Hold a hate rally. It seems that all those years away have left you none the wiser, and I suspect that you will not be satisfied with mere rhetoric just as before you were not satisfied with mere rhetoric." Dumbledore stated. Professor Watson stood up from his chair.

"Well that's just the thing Dumbledore, what you think, and reality are as usual, two different things. You see, it's actually you who seems to be breaking the law. I've heard that that Potter boy has been attacking people in the school, and that you've been covering it up. I've also found that you refuse to hire any purebloods to teaching positions. We're filing legal action in the Ministry to protest. These things do not become a Head Master, who claims to treat all students equally. You see that's how we do things these days, instead of violent action, we prefer to defeat you in the courts." Watson finished.

"False accusations Watson. Potter has not been attacking students constantly. He got into a row, as boys sometimes will, and he was punished for it. And I have never denied a pureblood for any job; you're just bothered because the entire staff isn't pureblood. In any event, you may have not broken the law yet, but I suspect that old habits die hard. I wonder how long until this tent goes up in flame. Like the Hogwarts Auxiliary building?" Dumbledore pondered.

"Still holding that against me Dumbledore? I have to admit that it was a foolish idea, to burn down our own building and blame it on the mudbloods, but I had no idea that you could recreate the events of what I did that night at the time. Very ingenious spells indeed. But believe me, I've learned from my mistakes. I've changed. So why don't you stop harassing me. And why don't you excuse me. I have some important people to meet today." Watson said as he started toward the door.

"Very well Mr. Watson, I may not have proof of any wrong doings yet, but I don't think that you have changed all that much and I plan to keep a sharp eye out for you. You're only lucky that I have bigger fish to fry, so to speak that I don't take more personal hands on approach to getting you back across the channel. But there is You-Know-Who to deal with first. But believe me; I'll still have plenty of time for you should you strayed from your legal idiotic rallies." Dumbledore finished. Professor Watson turned to him.

"Yes, about You-Know-Who. Some people say that you made him up. That Potter has brainwashed the people at the Daily Profit, and important people at the Ministry, and that you're both controlling them in an attempt to take over the wizarding world. There seem to be very few witnesses to your… err, little incident. Some people that you say could not be interviewed in order to protect their identity and a Minster of Magic that strangely after the incident committed suicide. I really wonder if there is a danger, or if you and Potter are just trying to control everyone by trying to scare them into believing that You-Know-Who is still around. I think that very soon the papers are going to report on the real Harry Potter, and on what really happened at the Ministry that day. Oh, and did you know that Luscious Malfoy has his trial next week? Should be interesting to hear his side. In any event, your suspicions are from a crime I committed long ago, and I have been given amnesty for it." Professor Watson finished.

"Mr. Watson, if you think that You-Know-Who is not back, and then you're a fool. Actually I'm really surprised that you and your society don't rush to join him. And yes I know about the funeral of Luscious Malfoy, I'm going to be a witness for the prosecution. I'll take my leave of you, but I say to you again. I'm going to keep a close eye on you from now on. _I don't think that you have changed." _Dumbledore finished, and walked casually out the door. Watson changed his mind about visiting with his guest for a while, and returned to his chair. When he was sure that Dumbledore was not listening at the door, he called Marietta to recite a chant that would dispel the invisible box. Marietta then stood up, and waited silently for her instructor to speak. Watson spoke out loud, but mostly to himself.

"Oh, but Dumbledore how I have changed. When I burned down the Auxiliary building, the society's own headquarters, and tried to blame it on the so many decades' ago, I didn't think that I would get caught. But I didn't know that you could recreate an image from the memory that remained. It got me kicked out of Hogwarts, and banned from the UK. But I've spent a good deal of my life since then learning to cover up the evidence, and passing that knowledge on to my apprentice, along with some other useful magic. Now I'll show you through her how I have changed by having her bend others to the societies will, blaming it on Potter, and not allowing you proof of his innocence." Mr. Watson finished.

He turned to Marietta. "Go and fix my helicopter as I instructed, and study the book. Remember to forget about the Chang girl until after you deal with Potter, unless she can be directly helpful in vilifying him. Now go quickly." Watson finished. Marietta gave the society salute, and he returned it. As Marietta walked toward the helicopter she now understood more than ever why the professor had trained her so hard to cover up evidence. She vowed that she would not be banned as he was, and that she would be the one to get rid of the societies enemies, Potter, Dumbledore, and if necessary… Chang.


	45. Chapter 45

I'm a keeper: Thanks for the review; I'm glad that you are enjoying hating Marietta and her gang. I hope that you enjoy cheering on Cho just as much.:)

T-person: Thanks so much for the Cho rocks! It really helped bring up my spirits. For me its all about the Cho. I hope that this keeps you interested.:)

I think that I would have preferred to get this longer, but I had to get a chapter out. Umm, well I don't know how you will like it or if you will at all. I wrote this out to have Harry really hurt Cho so that later when they hook up, there will be some emotional forgiveness moments, chapter 45! Wow, sorry it's taking so long to finish.:(

**Chapter 45: Hurtful Accusations and Wrong Conclusions**

**One Week Later: October 4th **

Cho stood in her room looking at the picture Cedric and her together at the Yule Ball. There were both holding each other, and smiling, and waving at the camera. Like all pictures in the wizarding world it was moving, and it was as if Cedric was waving to her. Like he could actually see her from inside the picture. She spoke to Cedric in her thoughts. _If only you were here now Cedric If only you could help me get through all of this. When you died my world turned upside down. Nothing has gotten better. I want to talk to someone, but I'm not allowed. You're now going to be the only one that I can tell my problems too, and you can't answer back. _Cho thought.

_My mums still sick, and I haven't even heard from anyone for four weeks. I'm afraid for her. I should be with her, but I've been stuck here. I need to take care of her. This mail thing has kept us all in the dark, and it's really not fair. We need to hear from our families, to know how their doing. I miss my family so much, especially mum. _

_Harry Potter won't talk to me… I tried to convince him that I wasn't a part of the society, but he won't believe me. He doesn't want to talk to me at all. It hurts because I still have feelings for him. But he never saw me as anything more than a friend, and now I have to leave with him thinking that I'm his enemy. "_Why is this happening to me?"Cho cried.

_My friend Padma Patel is still missing as well. Her family has been sent here by the Ministry of Magic. They are very worried about her, we all are. It's another thing that is just so crazy in the world today. Some people are saying that it's probably You-Know-Who that has kidnapped her. I hope that it's not true, but I don't know what to believe anymore. _

_The Head Master had me go to his office last Monday, and I told him about Marietta, and her friends, but… but I don't have any proof. I don't know if he even believed me. He gave me a lecture about putting myself above others, and I tried to tell him that I never thought less of any non pureblood, but I think that he believed that I was jus telling him what he wanted to hear. He promises to look into the connection with Marietta and the society though. _

_In any event I can't concentrate on anything with my mum sick, and not being able to here from her. My grades are falling, and… and I'm afraid for my friend's safety if I stay here. Marietta may still try to hurt them to make me go over to her side. So I have to go. I don't know what I'll do. Probably get a job at my Uncles construction company. I wish I had you here to give me advice; you were the smart one of the two of us. You should have been in Ravenclaw. Madam Pomfrey gave Nancy the potion, and she was feeling better when I left, but when I saw her hours later, she didn't remember me bringing the cure to her. My friends Beverly and Nancy are better now, but…_ "sob"_ I'm not. It's my birthday tonight. I wanted to leave Hogwarts right away, but my friends insisted that I stay at here for my birthday so that they can throw me a party. I normally love my parties; we always have the best, but… I just don't feel like celebrating. They tried to keep me from leaving at all, but… I have to. I… I don't know what I'm going to do without my friends… I've always felt so lucky to have so many friends, and we've always been there for each other. Each one is very important to me. There isn't anything better than spending time with them, and now._ _I don't know if I'll ever see most of them again. I knew that this year was going to be sad, because it's the year that we all go our own separate ways, but… I didn't think that I would be leaving the wizarding world forever. But… I just don't see the use in staying when I can't even do magic. I'll still be able to get an owl now and then and have friends over, but… I know that I'm going to lose touch with a lot of them after I leave the wizarding world. _

_I think that eventually I'm going to try and get into a muggle school of medicine, and be a doctor. I can still help people that way. I'm turning in my wand in one week, that's when the Hogwarts express returns to drop off supplies, and then leaves again. My father doesn't know that I'm coming back, and I don't know what I'm going to tell everyone. I… I don't know if you can hear my thoughts, and I don't know what happens to everyone after they die, but… it helps to talk to you all the same. I miss you Cedric. _Cho finished her thought, and put the picture of Cedric, next to the one of Harry on top of the folded clothes in her steamer trunk. Someone put their arms around Cho from behind, and gave her a soft hug.

"I thought that you were still going to be here a week Cho. Why are you packing now." Luna said quietly. Cho turned to face Luna, fresh tears running down her cheeks. She wiped them away with her hand.

"I'm just… I'm just getting a few things packed… I'll wait until Friday night to pack the rest." Cho said softly. Luna also had a tear running down her cheek.

"I wish you would change your mind… who's going to protect me from Marietta when your gone Cho?" Luna asked, remembering that one time she was the victim of open abuse from Marietta, before Cho stepped in to her defense. Cho put her hand on Luna's shoulder.

"Nancy, and Beverly will watch your back, and you watch theirs. I told them to take good care of you. And I think when I'm gone that Marietta will stop harassing all of you… I think that I'm the reason that she's been so mean to all of you. I'm so sorry to have caused all of you such trouble." Cho said regretfully. Luna gave Cho another hug, squeezing tightly.

"Stop that Cho, the only one to blame for Marietta picking on us is Marietta Edgencombe, not you. Don't let Beverly hear you talk like that or she'll smack you for being silly… and I wouldn't blame her either." Luna finished with a chuckle. It caused Cho to giggle a little too, enough to crack a smile.

"There, you see, all of us like to see you more like that. Now let's go, and get some breakfast, I hear that the head Master has an important speech to make." Luna finished with a bright smile, and she playfully pulled Cho by the arm to get her to come with her.

Cho and Luna walked slowly down the middle of the Great Hall flanked by the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables. Cho raised her head to see Harry looking at her with an angry look upon her face. When their eyes met, Harry turned away; ignoring her, but Cho couldn't take her eyes off of him until Luna put her right arm around Cho and pulled her head to her shoulder. Luna had tried to speak to Harry before, but in his foul mood he didn't want to hear anything about Cho. Apparently Danielle's lie had really hurt him. _How could he believe such things so easily? Luna thought. _She looked at Cho with a sincere pity.

"Look Cho, I'll talk to him tomorrow morning, he'll listen to me this time, because I won't let him out of the room until he does. Tomorrow morning, you'll be friends again in no time." Luna promised. Cho gave a smile, but didn't believe it. Luna and Cho sat down to eat. Cho looked back at Harry; he was talking to a very exhausted looking Hermione Granger.

"Cho, I'll talk to him tomorrow morning, I promise, just stop looking at him for now, and focus on eating." Luna said. Cho turned to Luna.

"I… I always turned away from him before." She said softly. Luna gave a confused look.

"What do you mean… looked away?" Luna asked. Cho lowered her head to look at the pourage on in her bowl, and stirred it with her spoon.

"Last year… when he hurt me, when I was upset with him. It hurt to look at him. Now, it hurts to look away. I'm probably never going to see him again. It hurts." Cho said sadly. Luna gave Cho a light smack.

"I told you that I'll talk to him tomorrow, and everything will be fine, now stop it." Luna said irritated. Cho apologized. Beverly, Nancy, and Erica all sat down at the table on the opposite side of Cho. The five girls began to talk of the party that they would have later that night, and about that decorations that they had put up in the Library. Cho always had to borrow the use of the library, in the past because so many of her friends were in the other houses. But she had been afraid to go in because of how she was treated by the librarian the day that Marietta's gang beat her up. She had to have Beverly go and make sure that the librarian wouldn't be there during the party. Soon the conversation moved onto more somber news, like the disappearance of Padma Patel. It turned out that her sister was also having trouble with her schoolwork. Cho wished that she could comfort her, but she didn't want to compare her situation about Cedric with Parvatie's because she didn't want to believe that her sister was hurt… or worse. Cho wanted everyone to find Padma okay, maybe just runaway for some reason, or temporary lost, but safe. She hoped that Parvati wouldn't suffer the same shock as she did and find her sister dead, but Cho had a bad habit of thinking the worst, so it was hard to put it out of her mind. Cho eventually looked further over the table at Marietta. She was looking tired, and was propping her head up with her hand.

"What's going on with Marietta? Looks like she's had a rough night." Cho said, not concerned about Marietta, but curious. Nancy bent over the table and looked in the direction of Marietta.

"They called the prefects, and Head Boy and Head Girl into the Head Masters office last night. I talked to George Windsor, the Gryffindor Prefect in our year, and he said that whatever it was for the Head Master called them into his office, and kept them there until late. He also swore them to secrecy, because he has an important speech this morning that he wants to give." Nancy finished.

"Curious, I wonder what…" Beverly began to speak, but was cut off by the Head Master banging a spoon against his glass. When he had gotten everyone's attention he stood up and began to speak.

"My dear students. I have some bitter sweet news for you this morning. First off on the order of business, the other masters and I have decided to suspend classes today in order to search the castle for Padma Patel. I'm sure that we will find her safe and sound, or that she is not here in the castle, but we need to look for her in every part of the castle. You can never be to through, and she may have been bitten by a sleep pixy. If so she should be okay, but we need to find her as soon as possible to bring her out of it. A few cheers arose at the thought of not having to go to classes for a day. But the Head Master quitted them down quickly. "Please, I know the thought of skipping class sounds inviting, but I would like to remind you, that there is a young girl missing, and we need to find her, or confirm that she is no longer in the castle.

The second issue of the morning is that we received a large supply of student mail by Ministry helicopter yesterday, and it's being kept in the library…" Dumbledore was interrupted by a roaring applause that echoed all over the room. Everyone was wild with excitement, and some students started to jump around. It was a full three minutes before Dumbledore was able to calm the students down enough to speak again.

"Listen please, listen. It's important to tell you, that regrettably you mail has all been censored by the Ministry of Magic. Now, that means that wizards and witches at the ministry have read your mail, and we found out last night that they didn't even reseal them. But…" Dumbledore was again interrupted, but this time to jeers, directed not at him, but at the Ministry.

"What? Go through the mail? This is an outrage." One Huffelpuff girl shouted.

"That's not fair, that's our privacy, that's got to be illegal." A Ravenclaw boy shouted. More shouts of protest continued until Dumbledore raised his hand to silence everyone.

"Please, please everyone… look, I know how bad it feels, and I don't normally agree with the Ministry when it comes to things like this, but I can assure you that because of the danger of Voldermort, it is necessary for the ministry to check to make sure that the he is not sending dangerous mail into the school. It is sadly a necessary evil that we must endure for the safety of the students. However I can tell you all that the witches and wizards who were in charge, have swore an oath never to divulge any personal information that they read. Now, I've had the prefects sort all the mail, and stack it into piles of letters that you can pick up at the library this afternoon. Now the Head Girl, and Boy, and prefects worked real hard last night to get everything ready for you, so I think that they deserve a big hand for their hard work." Dumbledore finished, and began to slowly clap. The students followed suit with thunderous applause. All the prefects, who all looked very tired, blushed.

"Now, after lunch if the students will line up, at the library door, the prefects, and Head boy and Girl will be distributing the letters after lunch today. After your finished with breakfast, your to report to your first period classes to be assigned to search parties. Prefects, and Head Girl and Boy however will report to the library to start preparing the post for students. That is all, thank your for your attention, and good day." Dumbledore said and went back to his meal. Cho started to get up from the table, and looked over at Harry. He was still avoiding her gaze. Luna pulled on Cho's arm.

"Cho… what are you doing? I said that I would talk to him tomorrow." Luna said. Cho looked down at her struggling to get the words out.

"Luna… I… it's my birthday party tonight. I have to ask, don't you understand? I have to ask." Cho said quietly. Cho walked slowly over to where Harry sat next to Ron and Neville Longbottom. "Um… Harry. Can I talk to you in private… please?" Cho asked weakly. Harry gave her an irritated look.

"Look Cho, I'm having breakfast with my friends right now. You can tell me what you want in front of them." Harry said casually. Everyone around Harry looked up at Cho, waiting to hear what she would say next. Cho lowered her head.

"Harry, um… it's my birthday today, and um… well my friends and I were going to have a party tonight in the library. I was wondering if you would like to… to come." Cho asked softly. Harry raised an eyebrow surprised. He rose out of his seat, and it looked like he wanted to say yes for a second, but his facial expressions changed, and he sat back down.

"Um, look Cho; I have a lot to do tonight. I can't make it." Harry said softly, but firmly.

"But Harry, if you could just…" Cho started, but was cut off.

"**I said no thank you."** Harry said in raised voice. Cho swallowed, and turned away, heading back to the Ravenclaw table. Something in Harry caused him to instinctively call for Cho. He shot up out of his seat.

"**Cho!" **Harry called. Cho turned around, and stared at him blankly, breathing heavily. For a moment they stared at each other and all other noise in the room faded into the background. Harry didn't know what to say, he looked into Cho's eyes, and found only three words.

"Um, Happy Birthday Cho." Harry than sat down, and looked down at his plate pretending to be interested in his food. Cho waited for a moment for him to say more, but when it became apparent that he wasn't going to she returned to her table, and said not another word.

**Several Hours Later:**

Cho and Nancy were in the corridor of one of Hogwarts endless dungons looking through every room that they passed for the missing girl. Nancy looked around, what part of the area in front and back of her.

"Where are we Cho?" She asked.

"The storage area, I had to go down here once last year, to help bring some supplies to Professor Flitwick's office." Cho replied.

"Are there any classrooms down here?" Nancy asked. Cho looked the area over.

"No, I don't think that they use this place that often. It's just old storage." Cho stated.

"Well it stinks, what's that smell?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know, but it's nauseous. Lets try this one," Cho said, looking at the number above the door. It read **Room #470. **There were no torches, and it was very dark, Cho raised her wand, and shouted luminous, to light it up. It was full of parchment, and quills, and Cho thought that she saw a rat scurry past the floor. She moved her wand around to focus the light on the different corners of the room.

"Is anybody here? Padma?" Cho asked. She waited for a minute, after looking around, and finally closed the door. As Cho and Nancy walked toward the next class room, the foul smell in the air intensified, Cho tried to hold her breath, and Nancy held her nose. They then opened the door to **Room #471**, and Nancy went in and illuminated her wand, finding only stacked desk, and chairs that filled half the room. As Cho and Nancy walked further down the corridor they saw other students walking down the other end, but couldn't make out who they were. The terrible smell was stronger than ever now, and both Cho and Nancy started choking a little. Cho opened the door, to **Room#472**, and looked inside with her wand lit; it was completely empty, so Cho closed the door. When she turned around she saw Nancy covering her mouth with one hand, and looking at her watch with her other. Nancy looked at her.

"Hey Cho, I'm going to throw up if I stay down here, it's going to be lunch time soon, lets head back now. We have the party to get ready for tonight, and we get to finally have our mail when were done eating." Nancy said, looking sick from the horrid smell.

"Just one more room." Cho said, as she put her hand on the door knob of **Room#473**, but before she turned it she looked up and saw Harry, and Hermione Granger. "Harry! What are you two doing here?" Cho asked surprised. Harry started to speak, but choked on the foul air.

"We're here for the same reason that you two are, to look for Padma Patel. Ugh! What's that putrid smell?" Hermione choked.

"Dunno, but I'm getting out of here, it stinks!" Nancy said repulsed at the smell. Cho walked beside Harry.

Harry, please, you must believe me… I, I've nothing to do with the society; I only went there to protect my friends. I'm not a part of the society." Cho pleaded.

"Well that society girl had a different story to tell. You certainly weren't there to protest, you were on the other side of the barricades. I can't help but think that you're lying to me now Cho. I saw you there. I saw you coming out of that tent with those people, and that girl said you were a guest speaker there. And then when she realized that you didn't want me to know about your affiliation with them she tried to say that you really didn't want to be there. And she was a bad actor!" Harry said more frustrated than angry.

"Harry, that was Danielle, she was lying, and she only wanted to make it look like I was a member. Marietta made my friends sick, and she told me that Nancy wouldn't get better unless I went to the rally." Cho cried.

"Look, I don't want to talk about this right now, just go back to your friend Marietta, I'm not going to let you spy on me anymore, your covers been blown." Harry said.

"**Now just a minute! You…"** Nancy Cromwell started, but Cho interrupted her.

"Harry, please, I'm not friends with Marietta, I hate her, and I hate that society." Cho looked at Nancy. "Tell Harry about how you and Beverly were sick!" Cho pleaded. Nancy looked at her blankly. "Well I know that that's what you told me Cho, but I told you that I don't remember much because I was really sick. Remember?" Nancy said, honestly not able to remember how she had been cured, just that she felt better later, and Cho had relayed the story to her. Cho said the same about Beverly, but Beverly had remembered that Madam Pomfrey had found the medicine in a medicine cabinet, and it was unlikely that Marietta had access to cures that Madam Pomfrey did not.

"Harry, maybe Cho's telling the truth, I mean… she did warn me about Marietta, and… well she has a reputation for not being like Marietta." Hermione came surprisingly to Cho's defense. But Harry was in the process of putting all the clues together. Cho's odd behavior, the night that they found her in the potions classroom, and then she was at the rally. It was too much for Harry who had been brooding about it all week. He had been suspecting Cho for sometime, but kept telling himself that there was some explanation for it. But seeing her at the rally had really hurt him, and the other girl there had confirmed his suspicions. He was like a teapot without a spout, and the only way that he could release the pressure right now was to blow his top. _This he did._

"She also has a history of keeping things from me! I've suspected that she was doing something for some time now, but… I just didn't want to believe it. I wanted to believe you Cho. But seeing you at the rally only confirmed my suspicions. It was all about that night that we found the third bewitched room. Ron and I ran into you in the hall when you had your invisibility cloak on, and then you were practicing jinxes on the Jinxing Torso, from that dark book. Probably to practice hurting me, or Hermione because she's not a pureblood! Isn't that what your rally was all about Cho? And why couldn't Ron and I see the dark book? You never passed us again when we left the bewitched room, and you would have had too to go back to your dorm room somewhere in the North Tower. It was you who bewitched the room earlier weren't it!" Harry accused. Cho simply shook her head, as tears fell from her eyes.

"No Harry, it wasn't me. I don't have an invisibility cloak, where would I get one? And it wasn't a dark book, it was… well it wasn't a dark book! How could you… how could you even think that. I never bewitched any room. Harry… I would never do any thing to hurt you… please don't believe that I would." Cho said raising her voice. Harry looked at Cho, wanting to believe her, but how could he. _All the evidence points to her so far, and I can't let the feelings I've been having for her cloud my judgment. But what if she is telling the truth, and I am making a terrible mistake. Cho doesn't seem the type of person to do such things, but isn't that what a spy is, someone who pretends to be someone that they are not. _Harry put his hand in his pocket, and felt that earring that he had been keeping, hoping to confront Cho sometime about it. He would have preferred it to be somewhere else, not a putrid smelling corridor, but he had to know. He had feelings for Cho, and he needed to know if she was playing him for a fool, or if she really was innocent. Harry looked her in her crying almond eyes.

"Cho, have you ever been to the room on the second floor, of the Southwest corner of the castle, the one with the tapestry of Helga Huffelpuff on the wall?" Harry asked seriously. Cho was speechless for a moment. _Why is Harry asking me this? Why is he accusing me of these things? This has to be a nightmare! Wake up Cho! _She screamed inside. She couldn't remember ever being in such a room, and told Harry as much. Harry pulled something out of his pocket, and held it up in front of Cho's face.

"Does this look familiar to you Cho?" He asked without emotion. Cho wiped the fresh tears from her eyes, and looked back at Hermione, and Nancy. They were both standing speechless at the interaction of the two of them. Then Cho looked back at the item in Harry's hand. It was a silver earring in the shape of a star, with a red, white, blue, and yellow roundel in it. Cho recognized it at once.

"That's my earring Harry! Where did you get it?" Cho asked. A tear ran down Harry's cheek. He put his head down for a moment, and when he came back up he looked Cho in the eyes, with a sincere hurt in his.

"I see, so you were in the bewitched room, and you just lied to me about it, because Ron and I found this in that room. You and I… are no longer friends Cho, I don't want to ever see you again." Harry said on the verge of tears himself. "Come on Hermione." He said and started to walk off. Cho started to follow him.

"Harry let me explain, I gave the earring…" she started. Harry turned on her with an angry look in his eyes.

"**No more lies! I've had enough of them from you. They stink worse than this stinking corridor! God! You couldn't tell the truth to save you life could you. Just… God." **Harry shouted frustrated. Cho fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around his leg.

"Please Harry just listen to me. I didn't do anything against you. I never would." Cho cried. Harry shook her off roughly, and walked faster down the corridor, until he was pulled by his collar from behind. Harry spun around to face Cho, and tell her to get off him, but to his surprise he came face to face with her friend who had a very angry look on her face.

"Hey look arsehole! You don't do my friend like that! If Cho said that she wasn't in the room than she's telling the truth, and the same about why she was at the rally. And you should show some respect to someone who's been such a champion for you in the past. Ya know last year when you weren't _"The Boy Who Lived"_ she was telling My friends and I what a great guy you were, so you aught to show her some respect, and another thing, it's her **_fucking birthday_**, and your ruining it for her. All she ever did was want to be your friend, and this is how you treat her. You're a real creep Potter!" Nancy said letting go of him. She went over to where Cho was crying hysterically on the floor, and pulled her to her feet. "Come on Cho, its Potter that's stinking up this place. Hermione looked at Cho concerned as they passed her.

"Cho, I'm sorry about Harry, I'll talk with him, I didn't know it was your birthday, I… happy birthday." Hermione said weakly as the two Ravenclaw girls left the corridor. Harry put his back to the wall, sat down, and started crying after Cho and Nancy turned the corner, and were out of sight.

"I just can't take it anymore, it's too much, sob it's just too much." Harry sobbed. Hermione was about to give him a piece of her mind, but instead, sat down next to him, and held him in her arms. Harry buried his head in her shoulder, and cried for several minutes, while Hermione ran her fingers through his messy hair. Finally after some time Harry looked up at Hermione.

"I… I wanted to believe her Hermione. I wanted to believe that… that she really was trying to help, but… I know that she lied to me. I have too much evidence. I wish that I didn't, but I know that she's working for the society as a spy. Why does it have to be true, why does it have to be her?" Harry asked Hermione. She looked down at Harry sadly, not understanding everything that he was saying. Since she was not speaking to Ron, she was missing out on a lot of the adventures that the three used to have together.

"Harry… what proof are you talking about? What happened that day? Actually let's go somewhere else, and you tell me, I can't stand the smell here. " Hermione said. Harry nodded.

Half an hour later, Harry and Hermione sat in the Gryffindor common room, discussing the events of the night that Harry caught Cho in the potions room. Hermione listened with intense interest.

"So let me get this strait Harry, Cho was working on some type of vicious curses on the torso, and she was using a book of dark arts? What was the name of the book?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, Harry said somberly. She… she wouldn't let us see it. She held it tight, like she would get caught or something. Moaning Myrtle was the one who said that she was giving nasty curses to the torso, and when Cho found out that I was in the room she erased all evidence. We had run into a girl with an invisibility cloak before, and who ever it was under there had run in the direction of the potions class where we found Cho. Myrtle guided me and Ron to the bewitched room by the North Tower, and we found this earring." Harry said handing it to Hermione. Anyway, after we investigated, we headed back toward the potions room, and Cho wasn't there. She would have had to have passed us to get to the North Tower, but we didn't see her. She's keeping something from me, and then when we saw her at the rally and that other girl said that she was a guest speaker. It really bothers me Hermione. I don't want to believe that she's doing this, but… how can I not?" Harry said somberly. Hermione looked at him sorrowfully.

"Harry, maybe you should give Cho a chance to explain herself." Hermione offered. Harry looked at her with sorrowful eyes.

"I know Hermione, I know. I shouldn't have treated her like that today. I just… I've had all this, anger welling up in me, and it just all came out then and there. I feel so bad about what I did, but I really don't know that I can trust her. I just want her to tell me what's going on, and I get so frustrated when she hides things from me." Hermione thought for a few minutes. Finally she raised her head, to look at Harry.

"Look Harry, you've been under a lot of stress, and you just blew up. Maybe you shouldn't have, but it's done, and you can't change it. So, what you need to do is… apologize to Cho and say just that, that you have been under a lot of stress. And then ask to attend her party as her friend. I don't think that Cho is a member of that society, and I don't think that you believe she is either. But… she does owe you an explanation for her behavior. However, this being her birthday, just let it go for now, and even ask her to let you come to her party, after you apologize. You can confront her about everything else another time. I mean it's not like she's going anywhere.


	46. Chapter 46

T-person: Thank you for mentioning his attitude in OOTP. I meet so many people that think that Harry Potter is infallible, and can do no wrong, and that anyone who doesn't agree with him is evil. I like Harry, I do, but he's not perfect, and not always right. Yea, I'd probably boycott too for all the good it would do.

Froggie2: Well yea, Harry was a bit of a jerk, but don't worry, I had to put that part in, for a reason. But god I hope to get those two together soon. Yea, she just gets hammered from all sides. How much can one girl take? Oh, well it's like the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. But even though she's emotionally weak now, maybe she can find the courage to rise above the torment, and heartbreak that is her situation. We're all pulling for her.

imakeeper: Thank. It's good to know that I can writ the bad guy, err… bad girl as well as the good. I hope that I can keep your interest, and that you get lost in the story. By the way, one thing that you commented on was how well I write the Asian perspective. Are you ethnically Asian? Just curious.

Chang Kuei: Thanks for all the encouragement, can't wait for your Harry/Cho fic. Don't forget to leave a small review:)

Well here is Chapter err… **46! **Holy Crap! Oh well, um… here it is, and well. A Ministry helicopter arrived with censored mail for everyone and the prefects are in the now library/mail room sorting it out, and of coarse Marietta and Pansy are being themselves, and Harry is in trouble with the members of my house. **_"Ravenclaw Pride Baby!" _**Anyway we all get upset when he messes with out precious Cho, so a few of the Ravenclaws have words with Mr. Potter. Hee, hee, hee.

Anyway I think that I've lost a few readers because I haven't gotten them to gather, but I'm trying to I promise you all. Please hang in there, and I hope that you enjoy.:)

**Chapter 46: Mail for Cho's Eyes Only**

**Harry's POV:**

Harry looked across to the Ravenclaw table at Cho Chang; she like him had not taken a bite of her lunch. She simply stood there looking at it with the permanent sad look upon her face as friends tried to comfort her. He was having mixed emotions about what had happened earlier in the day. To an extent he felt guilty about shouting at her on her birthday. He didn't even know that it was her birthday, until she had told him this morning. He didn't even have a present for her. But on the other hand why should he give her a present. She was at the rally that day, and didn't give him a good excuse. She had never given him a good excuse about anything that had gone on since she had returned to school. Her behavior had been so bizarre, and he needed to know why. What was that dark book that she was using to cast nasty spells on the jinxing torso? Why did she lie about bewitching the room when he found her earring in it, and how did she get an invisibility cloak? It had to be her that night with the cloak. She would have had to pass him and Ron to go back to the North Tower, and she didn't. There was no other way there, and she wasn't still in the potions classroom. And was she really a spy, just pretending to be his friend? If so, he could not let his guard down. Cho Chang could not be trusted until she proved herself. But regardless, Hermione was right. Harry should have not been so hateful to her on her birthday. He had had plenty of experience with people doing that on his birthday, and he never liked it.

_I'll just go over and apologize to Cho, and wish her a happy birthday again. Maybe even ask her if the invitation is still on. I can confront her about everything else later. _Harry thought. He got up out of his seat and walked towards the Ravenclaw table.

**Cho's POV:**

"Will you just eat already; your Haggis is getting cold. You can't let him get to you like that Cho. Harry Potter is not worth it. If he doesn't believe you, or want to at least give you a chance to hear you explain, then just forget about him. Look there are plenty of other guys who would love to go with you, it's not like you don't have other options available to you. He's a mental freak, you heard about him attacking that boy on the train, and then his attitude at the Quidditch Match, he'd probably hit you." Beverly said annoyed. Cho shot up out of her chair with an angry look upon her face.

"**He's not a freak!" **Cho blurted out.** "**He's not. I just… I can't tell him what he needs to hear right now. How can I expect him to understand?" Cho finished quietly as her friends jumped at the sudden outburst. She sat back down, and remained quite. Nancy Cromwell looked at her anxiously for a couple of minutes, and then spoke.

"Um, Cho… I've been meaning to ask… what was Potter talking about? I mean what bewitched room, and why did he think that you had an invisibility cloak?" Nancy asked. Cho was expecting her friends to ask this question sooner or later, but was hoping that it was later, so that she could come up with some believable excuse. Her friends knew that she had been sneaking out of her dorm at night for some reason, but they had no idea what and never bothered to ask since Cho had abruptly stopped before anyone got too curious. Cho didn't raise her eyes to meet Nancy as she answered.

"I… I needed to do some work for potions class, and needed to use the jinxing torso. You know how far behind I am." Cho said quietly.

"Is that what you were doing all those nights when you flew out the window on your broom Cho? Why didn't you just ask Professor Pinefield to use the torso after class? I mean we didn't use it that much last year, or this year either for that matter. You could have probably finished it in like a day or two." Erica put in.

"Um, it just took me longer… you know how stupid I am." Cho said without looking up from her untouched dinner.

"Cho will you cut that out already, you're… **What the fuck are _you_ doing here! Haven't you upset her enough arsehole?" **Nancy started off with a kind tone that suddenly changed to one of vile anger, as she was distracted by someone behind Cho. Cho looked back to see who it was and a messy haired, boy in glasses stood before her with an unsure look on his face.

"Harry?" Cho said weakly. Harry lowered his head, and started to speak, but before he could open his mouth was cut off by Beverly Jones.

"**Get the hell out of here Potter! No one needs you messing with Cho again. If you start up on her, I'll come across this table and beat you with in an inch of your life!"** Beverly said looking at Harry with barley repressed rage.

"**And I'll be joining her in that if you ever mess with my friend again the way I heard that you did today Potter. Why don't you just leave her alone, or did you come over here to insure that you ruined her birthday?"** Erica said in a hostile tone.

"Please everyone, its okay…" Cho started, but was cut off.

"**No, it's not okay Cho. Not this time. You've had to deal with Potter giving you a lot of shit these past two years, and we've had enough. I don't care if he is "The Boy Who Lived" anymore. He doesn't have any right to treat you like that, and were not going to let him anymore."** Nancy said. Cho looked back at Harry, with a nervous look on her face.

"Wh… what do you want Harry?" Cho asked afraid of being yelled at again.

**Harry's POV:**

As Harry approached the table a couple of the Ravenclaw girls looked up at him. One of them was the blond girl that Cho had been with earlier in the day. None of them had friendly looks on their faces. After taking a barrage of yelling from them Harry stood silently. He hadn't expected such hostility from the people at Cho's house. He was still "The Boy Who Lived", but of coarse Cho had friends of her own too, and… he guessed that he deserved it. "Wh… what do you want Harry?" Cho asked softly, and Harry thought that he saw fear in her eyes. Something hit him emotionally, and he bit his lip to keep from letting out a tear.

"Um, Cho. It's like this… well… I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, and…"

"**And you should be Potter! What you think that you're all that, and that you can treat people however you want, well…"** Erica began, but was cut off.

"Erica, please. Thank you, but… I… I need to talk to Harry alone right now. Thank you all for defending me…" Cho pleaded.

"Don't go with him Cho; he'll just hurt you again." Beverly warned. Cho looked back at her.

"I'll be okay Beverly… thank you anyway." Cho said softly. Jeremy Stretton was in earshot of all of this and got up and walked over to Harry. He was apparently still upset by Harry's behavior on the pitch from the Huffelpuff game, or maybe just a good friend of Cho's. He leaned into Harry's ear.

"I don't know what's going on Potter, but Cho has helped out a lot of people at this table, and she has a lot of friends. If I find out that you've been mistreating her, than you won't have to worry about any girls coming after you. I'll come and get you. And you don't want to get me really mad at you. You treat our Cho with respect, understand." Stretton said in a quite, but authoritive tone. Harry nodded.

"I'm not here to fight with her Stretton; I've come to talk to her in private, but not to upset anyone." Harry said. Stretton nodded, and walked over and sat down by Nancy Cromwell. After a kiss, they started Chatting, not taking their eyes off Harry, In fact because of Cho's friends yelling Harry noticed that there were several eyes on him. It was a very uncomfortable feeling, as he was sure that his fame was not the reason that people were looking at him.

"Err… Cho can I talk with you in private please?" Harry asked Cho. Cho looked around worried, and then looked into Harry's eyes.

"Are… are you going to yell at me again?" Cho asked weakly. Harry lowered his head in shame.

"No Cho… I'm not going to do that. I promise." Harry said softly. Cho nodded, and Harry led her out of the Great Hall as most of the students looked on. When they were alone in the corridor outside Harry looked at Cho. She had a hurt look in her eyes. _God don't you ever smile anymore?_ Harry thought.

"Cho… I'm sorry about earlier today. It was wrong of me to confront you about everything on your birthday, and I need to give you a chance to explain. I feel bad about how I treated you today. I want you to have a happy birthday. I still think that you owe me an explanation, a very detailed one about everything. But I guess that's what you were trying to do earlier today, and I didn't give you the chance. I'm sorry." Harry said softly. Cho lowered her head, and buried it into Harry's chest, and putting her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry too Harry… I'm so sorry for everything. I know it's upsetting you, the way that things look, but… I promise you I'd never do anything against you." Cho looked up at Harry, her eyes full of her never ending tears. "You believe me don't you Harry?" Cho asked. Harry wasn't sure how to answer, because he really didn't know if he did. He gave her a pat on the back.

"Well… I want to believe you Cho… I want to believe you." Harry said genuinely. "Look, um… I've got to get back and finish lunch. Am I still invited to your party?" Harry asked. Cho put her head on his chest again, and squeezed him tightly.

"Oh, yes Harry… always, always. It's tonight at eight, they usually run all night. I'll see you there." Harry lightly hugged Cho back. And they both returned to their respective tables.

**Cho's POV:**

Cho had tears streaming down her cheeks when she sat down again with her friends.

"**I knew it!"** Nancy shouted. **"He hurt you again, Potter is dead meat."** she continued as she started to get up from her seat along with the rest of Cho's friends. Cho quickly grabbed Nancy's arm.

"Oh, no Nancy! Harry apologized for today. Um, it's just… something else, but Harry was very nice to me just now. Everyone looked at Cho deciding weather or not to believe that he really was, or if she was just protecting him for some reason. Eventually they decided to believe her and sat back down. Luna came back from the lavatory, and asked what she missed. She was happy to hear that Harry had apologized to Cho, and promised her that it was a good sign. After lunch everyone started heading to the library, and lining up in the queue, by the door to receive their mail. Cho was so anxious about getting bad news that she was almost shaking. But she couldn't wait to get her mail. Four weeks without any word from her family was driving her crazy.

**Marietta's POV: **

The library was stacked with tables full of packages and letters, and busy prefects, sorting out mail into hundreds of small boxes that had been magically added to help sort out individual mail. The door to the library had been split in half, so that the lower half could be shut independently of the top half. Now the bottom half was closed and someone had fitted a counter top to it in order to place a quill and ink bottle on.

"Marietta was tired, and not enjoying the responsibilities that being Head Girl brought with it. She had been up all last night sorting out opened mail that had been sent from the ministry, having to work with half-bloods, and Muggleborn prefects, but equally mudbloods to her. But worse, having to work with one particular mudblood that she held a special hatred for. _Hermione Granger_. Last year when Cho had dragged Marietta to the DA classes, Hermione Granger had acted as the club secretary, having each student sign a parchment, swearing to keep the DA classes a secrete. Cho had feelings for Harry which made Marietta sick. _After all didn't the society teach me at the level three and four meetings that it was Harry Potter that had caused the defeat of you know who. You-Know-Who who would have gotten rid of the mudbloods once and for all._ Marietta had no interest in the highly illegal DA classes, but went reluctantly as a favor to Cho. She didn't tell anyone at first because she didn't want to get Cho and the other purebloods that attended in trouble. However as she thought about it, she couldn't help but realize the opportunity that she was given. Harry Potter, as impure as he was, was eventually to be one of the society's biggest obstacles to restoring pureblood domination of the world. He was of cores too powerful to be defeated by brute force magic, however… if Marietta could have Harry expelled from Hogwarts, than he would be lost in relative obscurity. After all… most of the students were already afraid of him. It was more likely that more people would be glad to see him go, even his own kind. She would be doing everyone a favor by turning him in to Professor Umbridge. She could take out Potter single-handedly, so to speak, and the society would be grateful. What was the expulsion of a few purebloods with him if it brought her greater rewards in the long run? _But… my plan didn't go accordingly… that Mudblood bitch over there jinxed the parchment to write sneak in painful pimples over my face, and I spent most of my summer in hospital, going through painful anti-jinx sessions to remove it. And now look at her over there, so smug. And I have to work with you, and pretend that nothing has happened between us. But I'll have my revenge soon enough… Granger and rest assured, at the right time, I'll have something special planed for you. _Marietta thought as she looked at her nemesis. Allen Miller taped Marietta on the shoulder. He looked depressed, and tired, and Marietta couldn't help but feel some compassion for him. After all Padma and he were both purebloods.

"Marietta, go over and take the door for a while, if you want to change positions, you can switch in twenty minutes." He said wearily. Marietta nodded. She patted Miller on the back. Its okay Miller, I'm sure that Padma is going to be found safe and sound. Um… forgive me for asking, but didn't I hear that Potter threatened you two though?" Marietta asked. Miller nodded.

"Yea, but I don't think… no he couldn't have been serious." Miller finished.

"Of course your right… they'll find her perfectly okay, I'm sure." Marietta said. Marietta walked over to the door, and grabbed a clipboard with a piece of parchment attached. On the other side of the door was a small boy with blond hair. Marietta looked down at him.

"Name?" Marietta asked.

"Dennis Creevey." The boy replied. Marietta looked back to the closest prefect. It was her good friend Pansy Parkinson.

"Dennis Creevey." Marietta repeated. Pansy looked around the small boxes for one with the name Dennis Creevey on it. She finally came across it and took a small stack of mail back to where Marietta stood at the door. When Marietta saw that Pansy had found it, she handed the clipboard, and quill to Dennis Creevey. Sign here, and check the box indicating the you received your mail." Marietta said emotionlessly. Dennis did as instructed and handed them back to Marietta, who then gave him his stack of letters. He then left to go and read them. Marietta looked at the next person in line.

"Next." She said. A Huffelpuff girl walked up. "Name?" Marietta asked.

"Rosa Garza." Said the Hufflepuff girl. Marietta turned to face Pansy, but found Hermione Granger in front of her instead. The two looked at each other in silence for a long moment, with very unfriendly looks. "Rosa Garza" Marietta finally said, in an unfriendly tone. Hermione went to check the boxes, and eventually returned with some mail.

"Rosa Garza." Hermione said casually. Marietta handed Garza the clipboard.

"Sign your name here, and check here to indicate that you got your mail." Marietta said, pointing at the spots for her to sign and check. After Marietta handed Miss Garza her mail, she started looking through the letters. She looked up at Marietta with surprise.

"Hey, these have all been opened!" she exclaimed, annoyed. Marietta rolled her eyes.

"Ya! Everyone's mail has been opened, what makes you so special?" Marietta asked rhetorically.

"Well, I just…" Garza began, but Marietta cut her off.

"Just accept it and move on… **Next!" **Marietta shouted. Garza moved on, and the next person came up to the counter. "Name?" Marietta asked. This process went on for the next fifteen minutes, until Pansy came over to her and whispered in her ear.

"Hey, Marietta you have to come see this, you're going to love it!" Pansy said giggling softy to her. Marietta had a prefect take over at the door for her. She then went with Pansy over to a table in the corner of the library where no one could see them. Pansy picked up some letters on the table, and handed it to Marietta.

"It's Cho Changs mail. I was going though it some last night, and again just now in hopes of finding something to embarrass her with. Most of them were boring things about her cousins in the muggle world, a few from friends in other schools, and family, a package, with a dress, a shirt, and something called a laptop computer for her birthday, all useless, _except for these from her father, and cousins._ **_These should have been delivered two weeks ago_** and even her _father_ should have come up and told her, but… they weren't, and he didn't, so… _we can." _Pansy said with a devious smile on her face. Marietta read through the letter from Cho's father that was meant **_for Cho's eyes only._** It was the most personal letter that Marietta had ever read, and it brought a tear to her eye. She looked at Pansy.

"How many of the letters mention this?" Marietta asked.

"This one and a couple by her cousins. None of her friends seems to be aware, and there's no other mention of it anywhere else, except by a letter from a Dr. Gardiah. Its here, not written on parchment. Marietta let me be at the door when you give them to Cho. I just wish that I could see the look on her face when she reads them, but I know that she'll want to do that in private." Pansy said. Marietta thought for a long moment, as if struggling with a moral decision, and then finally made a decision.

"Pansy put any letters referencing it in your purse. I think that you will be able to see the look on Cho's face after all… when we present them to her tonight… _at her birthday party_." Marietta smiled. Pansy smiled a deep evil smile. And put the letters into her purse. Then she reached over to another set of letters on the table.

"I also found these. They belong to one Miss Hermione Granger. I only got to see the return address. It's from a Dr. Granger… her father." Pansy said mischievously.

"What have you got from my father." Someone said from behind the two girls. They both jumped, and turned to face where it came from. Hermione Granger stood boldly with her arms folded, and a not too happy look on her face.

"Um, Granger… how long have you been there?" Pansy asked nervously.

"I just got here, but that's long enough to hear that you have mail that belongs to me, now let's have it." Hermione said in a serious tone. Marietta grabbed the stack of mail, and looked at the return address again. She handed it to Hermione.

"So tell me Granger… your father being a Doctor, and a muggle… what do you think about that. Isn't it true that Muggle Doctors cut there patients with knives, and pull their organs out?" Marietta asked making fun. Hermione was not amused.

"Well not that it's any of your business Marietta, but my mum and dad are both Doctors of Dentistry, not surgeons. But in cutting people, surgeons save lives everyday; it's not a profession to be ashamed of, but one to be proud of."

"Really Granger and what's a dentist?" Marietta asked genuinely.

"It's a Doctor who repairs someone's teeth. Don't you know anything?" Hermione said putting her letters in her pocket. Marietta tossed her hair.

"Hummm… well I guess that the occupations held by your kind aren't really worth knowing about are they?" she said.

"Then you two get back to work, and don't read any more of my mail, or I'll make you sign a parchment saying that you promise not too, or you'll be jinxed. And… that would put you back into St. Mungoes again. And my jinxes have gotten a lot better since last year Marietta." Hermione said coldly. The statement sent a cold chill down Marietta's spine, remembering the hell that she went through last year, but she gave Hermione a hateful look.

"You think your so smart mudblood, but you're not even in Ravenclaw… so don't start shit with me. I can hurt you worse than a simple jinx… mudblood." Marietta finished. She motioned back to Pansy. "Come on she isn't worth our time." Marietta said. She and Pansy pushed past Hermione, who gave her an angry look and went back to work, waiting for the events of later that night.

**Fifteen Minutes Later:**

Marietta was working the door again, and had just finished handing a stack of letters to Susan Bones. "Next." she called out. Cho Chang stepped in front of the door, and the two girls gave each other a long cold look that seemed to last forever. Both radiated energy of pure hatred at each other without speaking a word. Finally without looking back Marietta called Cho's name to the nearest prefect. A prefect handed the stack of mail to Marietta, who sat it on the counter. She brushed her fingers across the opened letters.

"Ohhh look Cho, looks like someone has gone through your private things. I know how that must feel for you. I mean, it's been done to all of us. But I've always felt that you've kept hiding things from us. So tell me what's in the package, and the letters?" Marietta asked.

"None of your business. Give me my mail." Cho said softly. Marietta smiled, and looked at the wrapping on the package, that said Happy Birthday Cho.

"None of my business? As I seem to recall, it's your birthday coming up Chang. Well… Happy Birthday. I do believe that I'll be saying that to you again before the days out." Marietta said coldly. She handed Cho the clipboard with the parchment on it. There was not much room left on it by now, but Marietta pointed to one of a few spaces left at the bottom. Sign here, and check here to indicate that you've received all your mail. Cho did so, and Marietta handed her a stack of mail, and her package. She smiled at Cho one last time.

"So, Cho seventeen today, finally a woman. Now that you've grown up physically, I wonder if you're ever going to grow up mentally. Danielle said that she saw you today sobbing like a turned on faucet. Over that Potter boy I think. Let me give you a word of advice, stop thinking and caring about those who are not of pureblood. It's probably hanging around them that have made you so pathetic. It's like I've always told you Cho, having too many friends, and the wrong kind of friends, can make you weak. You should only be around your own kind." Marietta finished. Cho gathered up her things, and looked at Marietta one more time.

"Well Marietta, if I'm to hang out with my own kind as you put it… than I guess that I'd better leave here, because you and I are nothing alike." Cho said without visible emotion. Marietta giggled as Cho walked away.

"Oh were very much alike Cho, why do you think that we were best friends for so very long." Marietta called after Cho. Cho walked off without looking back, trying her best to ignore Marietta. She would do her best to focus on the party, and having a good time after all, Harry would be there…how bad could it be?


	47. Chapter 47

imakeeper: Now you'll hate her even more. Cool. Thanks for confirming my suspicions. And thanks for saying that I write the Asian perspective well, now I have to go and thank a lot of my friends for letting me in on the aspects of the subculture. Without them I wouldn't have been able to write it as close. Thanks for the review:)

Chaos666: Thanks so much for the review. I thought that I lost you as a reader. Very cool that you had guessed about the pictures.

T-person: I don't know when it will be, but I hope to really make the fight at the end err… really memorable. Soon, I hope, I'm trying; believe it or not, I've been cutting a lot of stuff out, and putting other stuff to the back to get to it faster. God, I hope they don't make Cho the sneak in the movie. So many Harry Potter fan girls, and guys don't try to think of the perspectives of the other characters, and don't even read the books, I have a feeling that there will be a lot of Cho/Katie Hate sights popping up on the net again when the movie is released. I just hope that there is not any booing at Cho by said fans when I go to the theater. Probably most of the booing will be from people who never read the books, but just watch the movies. Cho fans unite… I like that. I wish there were more Cho fan sights out there. Maybe if I ever get any money I'll create one. It would be nice to have people who can draw, or paint contribute art based on this story. Just a thought.

Froggie2: He will find out soon, but someone else will tell him. Oh yea, Cho has a lot of friends, and they all have a lot of respect for her, because she is so nice to everyone. And also she has helped them a lot and been there when they needed her. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Marietta has a gift for Cho, and it isn't chocolate frogs, or a golden snitch, you can be sure of that. Thanks again for the review, and I'll do my best.

Well here is chapter 47, and well. This is sad. At least I think. A very delicate subject that I've been thinking on for a long time. This was one of the first ideas in my head when I got the idea to write this. I can't believe that it took me so long to get here. The title is also something that I had thought up long ago, so I mean this is something that I've thought long and hard on. I don't say that I hope anyone will like it, because that sounds like someone saying, I hope you like "Schlinder's List" or I hope you like "Come see the Paradise". But I do say I hope that this touches you emotionally.

**Chapter 47: Happy Birthday Cho Chang**

The four Ravenclaw girls sat on the edges of their beds, and looked through their censored mail. All complained to each other about their mail being opened and their privacy being violated by people that they never even met. But regardless of their lamenting, none of them could hide the fact that they were at least grateful to get mail at all. Everyone made an agreement to read from one of their letters to everyone. Cho was nervous, not knowing if she could find something in her letters that she could share. Cho looked through the ones from friends, who had transferred to other schools last year to get away from Harry Potter first. Quinn Westminster was enjoying herself in Beauxbaton's girl's school in France. She had written Cho that the weather in France was much warmer than the United Kingdom, and that she wished that her parents had sent her there sooner, but that she still missed her friends at Hogwarts. There were several other letters like this one, from friends around the United Kingdom, and Europe. She was glad to hear that everyone was doing okay, and that they were enjoying themselves. Cho was reading her mail from her friends first, because although she wanted to hear from her family most, she was afraid of the news that she might get when she did open the letters.

As Cho read through her letters silently she also listened to Beverly read the letter that she picked to share with everyone else. It was from her father, who was vice president of a bus manufacturing company in Brecon Wales. His company had just signed a major contract with the government of Brazil for the exclusive contract to supply all the bus fleets for it's major City's, and he was going to take Beverly, and her younger sister, Rachelle, to Rio de Janeiro to celebrate. Cho and the others expressed their joy for Beverly, and they talked about what a great time that she would have there. Beverly also received a box set in gold wrapping paper. It was obvious that it was opened once already, by someone in the ministry, as the paper was torn, and only a thin string held the top on. Beverly removed it, and to everyone's excitement pulled out a beautiful, formal, lime green strapless dress, with orange flower pattern on it. Everyone in the room was in awe at its beauty. The girls said that she would look beautiful in the dress when she wore it at the Yule ball this year.

Next came Nancy's turn to read the letter that she picked. She read that her sister Paula, who was living in Cambridge, had had a baby two weeks ago, and that they named it Oliver after her their father. They had read how sorry that they were that Nancy couldn't be there, but looked forward to seeing her again for Christmas holiday. Everyone congratulated Nancy on her new nephew. Cho put her letters down for a moment. She was starting to feel better, because she was happy to hear that each of her friends were receiving such good news in their letters.

Erica was the next to read. It was from her brother, who had just had his Bar Mitzvah two weeks ago, and was wondering why she hadn't sent him anything. She also read how her dad was coaching the cricket team at the University that he was a Master at. When Erica finished she then told everyone that their was a more recent letter from her brother that said that he finally did receive the _Quidditch through the ages book_ that she sent him, but because of the censored mail issue it was late. But he enjoyed it very much.

Finally it came Cho's time to read her letter. She had gone through the few that she had already read, trying to find one that was not too personal, but one about some good news in her family. The letter was recent, only a week old. It was from her cousins Sally and Ling.

"**_Hey Cho, how's Hogwarts? We just got your letters today. But they didn't come by Owl. A Ministry carrier delivered it to us by special delivery, explaining again about the censorship thing. We're really offended about people going through our private stuff, so we've both agreed to not write about the families more personal matters anymore. You're mum is recovering from the, well you know, we wrote about it in our last letter. Uncle Poa's still doing the same, when we see him. The goblins are working him pretty long hours these days and he's almost never home, but we did get a chance to visit him at hospital the other day. But of coarse you'll hear about that from his letters I'm sure. There are several new stores opening up all over the shopping district these days, and it's a blast to go and shop till you drop. But unfortunately everyone's opening them up in buildings that were empty, and not having new stores built, so father says that we'll have to watch our spending until business picks up. This cute boy named Donald Tran, just transferred to our school. You should see him; he's got dark brown hair, and soft brown skin, Sooo cute. I'm just in lust with him, but I hope it could be more. Actually every girl in the school seems to want him. I don't know weather it's just that he's a new face, or that he's as hot as I think that he is. In any event, all those other bitches had better back off, cuz he's mine! Hee hee, hee. We were finally glad to hear from you, and were sorry to hear about Padma Patel missing, we hope that they find her okay. Our friend's mum took us and a bunch of other girls swimming at the public pool last Tuesday, and it was great. They put in a winding water slide, and we brought our lunch and had a picnic. We also went to the Red Lion, and heard a live concert by a singer named James Blunt. He's not very well known, but god he can sing. His songs are often sad, and… they just make us tear up. I wish that he would come out with a CD, or MP3, but we haven't seen one available yet. Oh, and it turns out that he was an officer in the British Army, cool huh? But I can tell you he has talent, and he'll be famous one day. Anyway that's what's been going on here; we're going to let Uncle Poa give you the more serious news, so we decided to leave that out. We want you to be able to comeback to this letter, and have it cheer you up when you're feeling down. So let us tell you that the day that we saw your mum after her latest surgery she was awake, and she said that she misses you, and can't wait to see your school reports. She misses you, and so do the rest of us. Can't wait to see you for Christmas holiday. And we know that things are bad now, but they will get better Cho. Well we'll write you again soon, and we wish you a happy birthday. Oh! Father sent you a laptop computer that's internet ready, and he says that he knows that electronics don't usually work in Hogwarts, but maybe you could bewitch it or something. But just in case, he also sent you the Italian shoes that go with the dress from your father. I would worry about spoiling that for you, but you've probably read all your fathers mail first, and… we know that getting the news about your mum's, well you know, but at lest you found out enough time ahead before your birthday that you could have time to recover from it by then. We've also sent you some incense to burn and a new bell just because, but the shirts our birthday present too you. We miss you Cho, and we want you to stop being so down. Maybe you should talk to Harry Potter. I mean talking about him always used to cheer you up. Anyway were off to get into trouble now, miss ya much cousin._**

_**The notorious Sally, and Ling;)**_

_**P.S. To the Ministry person reading our mail, YOU'RE A WANKER!**_

Cho read the letter carefully leavening out the more personal parts, and changing some of it, so that her family's personal problems would not be revealed, especially about her mum being a wanker. Cho smiled a little at her cousin's letter, but she was also worried. The letter had said that her mum had had another surgery, and it didn't elaborate on what kind. _Was it minor, or major?_ Cho thought. Sally and Ling had written that her father would write the more serious stuff. Cho finished reading her edited version of her letter. Everyone wanted to see the presents that she had gotten from her family. Cho put the first of two boxes with torn wrapping paper into the middle of the room, and cut the flimsy string that the Ministry person had resealed it with. She pulled out an IBM laptop computer, with a plug.

"Sorry to say that that's not going to do you much good here Cho, there are no electrical outlets in the school." Beverly said sorry for Cho.

"That's okay; maybe next time I go to Hogsmead I can find a place with one. I just hope that I can use the internet to talk to my cousins if it does work. The muggle phone place in Hogsmead usually have impossibly long lines of other students waiting to talk to their families." Cho said.

"Ha, tell me about it. That's all I seemed to do the last time I went last year, was stand in the bloody queue, waiting for my turn to talk to my family." Beverly said.

"That's why my dad bought me a cell phone, now that they are becoming cheaper, but it won't work at the school, and I haven't found a way to bewitch it yet." Erica put in. Cho put the computer down and slid it under her bed. She then pulled out a beautiful pair of blue Italian high heal shoes by, a famous muggle brand. The others gasped with excitement, and the shoes were passed around for everyone to admire. Cho then pulled out a shirt that had a note pined to it that read:

**_We made it for you our selves, and it's in your house colors, so that's two types of pride your representing. Hope you'd like it. _**

_**The notorious Sally, and Ling**_

Cho read the attached note to everyone, and removed it. She then unfolded the dark blue t-shirt, and everyone read the large bronze letters: **_Asian Pride._** It really looked professional, and it made Cho smile that her cousins had made it themselves. She decided that she would wear it to her party that night, to show everyone, but her cousins were wrong about one thing. There were actually three types of pride that she represented when wearing it. Because she was really wearing it to show people how proud she was to have such caring cousins that were kind enough to do such things for her. Finally Cho pulled out the dress that her father had bought her from its box. It was a beautiful, light blue formal dress that she had asked her dad to get for her from a muggle shop in London. He said at the time that it was too expensive, but now here it was, and Cho's smile started growing even larger. She was really starting to relax a little, something that she had not been able to do in a long time. But here with her news from her family, and being with her friends, it was just… fun. _Fun._ Cho thought… she hadn't had that in a long time. After a while of reminiscing, and conversation with the girls Cho excused herself to read her letters from her father in private. She chose the table in the corner of the Ravenclaw common room to go over the letters in private. They all were very serious, and sad. Her mum wasn't getting any better, but not worse either. Again, more agonizing news of Chemo therapy, and Radiation therapy, and experimental drugs, and a picture of her mum waving at her, her beautiful raven black hair gone, but Cho's mum still beautiful in the eyes of her daughter. One nice thing was that her father did tell Cho in the letter that the staff, and patients missed having her work there, and that Dr. Guardia would write her a recommendation to a good University when she graduated Hogwarts. There was only one problem that Cho had, there seemed to be about a weeks worth of mail missing from her father. Perhaps he was busy at Gringots, but the mail just skipped. It was as if some of it was missing, or maybe there wasn't anything to write about. _Oh, god! If only we had phones like the Muggles do. Why can't we share our world with them, why can't we help each other, and try and find ways to make the better things in both our worlds work together? I need a phone, I need to talk to mum, or dad, on anyone, I feel so cut off. _Cho thought. She shook her head, and held in her hands. _Stop thinking like that Cho; you've got to be positive for once in your life. Dad didn't write about it, because… it's just a minor surgery. Yes, that's got to be it. He didn't want to worry me because of that. When I leave in a week, then mum will be better, and the surgery will cure her. She'll be better…" Cho thought, trying really hard to believe it._

"Hey Cho, how's your mum?" Luna asked as she sat down next to her.

"Oh, hey Luna, I didn't hear you walk up. Um… she's…" Cho started, then looked around to make sure that no one was in earshot, and turned back to Luna. "Well… I'm not really sure. My dad said that she was going through more chemo, and other therapy, and that the doctors were doing everything that they could for her, and my cousins said that she had had a surgery, but didn't elaborate on it. The last letter that I got from dad, said that… that she was doing the same, but… he hasn't written for a week. I don't know if it's because that mail has been held up in the ministry, or if… there's just been nothing to write about. But I've been writing every day, and even though I know that the goblins work him long hours… that… we'll he should be writing me every day." Cho said weakly. Luna gave her a hug.

"I'm sure everything is going to be fine Cho. Your dad said that they had the best doctors in the United Kingdom working on her, and that means the best doctors in the world. I guess no news is good news, maybe it means that she's getting better." Luna finished.

"Thank you Luna, I needed to hear that from someone. Um… how… how is your father doing?" Cho asked genuinely.

"Well, for a while he was really down not being able to hear from me, were really close you seen. But in some of his last letters he said that he finally got my mail, and was happy to see that I was doing so well. It turns out that since people can't get the ministry to budge on censoring the mail that their at least demanding that they put more peoples on the job, so that everyone can receive the mail more quickly. So that's good. Anyway, I have to tell you that I can't wait for Christmas. I really miss him. I love Hogwarts, but sometimes it's really hard not being able to see him. It's really hard on him sometime when I'm not there, he hasn't been able to keep a girlfriend for long, and I know that he misses having someone else in the house. Since my mum died, he's just been kind of lonely. I wish that he could find a nice woman to be with, but he just doesn't seem to have any luck in relationships." Luna finished.

"He's a nice man Luna. I'm sure that he'll find someone out there." Cho said softly.

"Your right, hey we've got to go to your party, you don't want to be late to your own party do you?" Luna asked. The two girls got up from the table, and Cho grabbed her mail.

"I've got to put this up, and I'll be right back. Please wait for me." Cho asked. Luna nodded. Cho ran up the steps, and put her letters in the night stand drawer. The other three girls had already left to set up the party. Before she closed it, she looked at the stack once more. Please write to me soon dad; please let me know how mum is. Cho wished to herself. She took of her school shirt, and put on her new gift from her cousins, and headed down the stairs to meet Luna.

**One Hour Later, Cho's Party in the Library:**

The Library was decorated with balloons, ribbons, and confetti that magically fell from the bewitched ceiling every five minutes. It was full of students from each of the houses, and everyone was getting along famously together. Loud music blared out into the corridors out side. Many students were dancing wildly to the music of the weird sisters, played on a very old phonograph, and Cho had just finished dancing Prakash Gandhi, and walked over to the refreshment table to have a drink. She pored herself some punch. Harry Potter had not shown up yet, and Cho kept watching the door for him, but for the first time in a long time she was happy, she was truly happy. Cho scanned across the room, all of her friends were here, and everyone was having a great time. It was everything that she wanted for herself, and for all of them. Finally good to cut lose all of her problems, even if just for a night. The library door opened and Hermione Granger stepped in, and looked around for a minute, then she stepped back out and closed it behind her. Cho took a sip of her drink, and put it on the table behind her. She rushed to the door, and stepped out into the corridor, to see Miss Granger walking down towards the Gryffindor dorm rooms.

"**Um, Miss Granger… Miss Granger?" **Cho called out friendly. Hermione turned around, and walked back to Cho.

"Oh, Hello Cho. I was just curious to see where to music was coming from… happy birthday." Hermione said in a friendly tone.

"Thank you, um would you like to come join us." Cho asked politely.

"Oh, but I can't, I don't have a present to give you." Hermione said. Cho smiled.

"That's okay; you don't have to get me a present. We barely know each other. But… I'd be honored to have you attend, that would be a good present, if you don't mind Miss Granger." Cho asked. Hermione smiled.

"I would be delighted to Cho. And um… it's Hermione. Please call me Hermione." She asked. Cho smiled back.

"Okay, Hermione thanks for coming." Cho said. As they walked back in the room they were met by Susan Bones, and Allen Miller.

"There you are Cho, I was wondering what happened to you! It's time to open your presents." Susan said. She guided Cho to a seat, at a table and sat her down. Luna Lovegood placed the first of many packages in front of her. It was from Jeremy Stretton, and Nancy Cromwell. Cho opened the wrapping paper, and pulled out a large, beautiful snow globe of Hogwarts castle. Cho looked up with a bright smile.

"Oh! It's beautiful, thank you so much." Cho said.

"Well, we decided that since this is also somewhat of a going away party, that we wanted you to know that this place is also still your home, so… we wanted you to have a little place of home where ever you went. Cho reached over the table and gave Nancy, and Jeremy a hug. Next Beverly handed Cho a present, to Cho from herself. It was a picture of Cho, her four roommates, and Luna taken in the great hall a few weeks ago, and it had been signed across the bottom:

**_To our best friend Cho, though we're going to be apart for now, we'll always be there for you when you need us. Just send us an Owl, and we'll be there for you. Your friends forever: Beverly, Nancy, Erica, and Luna._** Cho successfully fought back tears as she gave Beverly a hug, and thanked her. The gifts kept coming, a beautiful blouse also from her roommates, and makeup kits from other friends. One friend of Cho's Michele Franks, from Hufflepuff handed her a small wrapped gift. Cho opened it to find it was a CD from a band called the Spice Girls. Cho looked up happily.

"Oh, I've heard of them. My cousins and I listened to them on the radio, there very good.' Cho said happily. She gave Franks a tight hug that made him blush.

"Well, my families muggle, and I figured since I heard from Allen Miller that you were… going to live in the muggle world, that… we'll that you could use a few muggle items to enjoy." Franks finished. After almost all the gifts had been given out Luna walked up to Cho. She had a package in one hand, and her other hand was behind her back. She seemed to be straining a bit. Cho took the package from Luna and opened it. It was a large roll of plain parchment.

"Oh, Luna, thank you, I'll use it to…" Cho started, but Luna cut her off.

"Waite, there's more. Cho I got you something for your birthday when I was in Hogsmead, because you've never had one of your own for some reason. But I never knew how important it would be for keeping in touch." Luna said as she swung her arm around, to reveal a cage with a small barn Owl in it. It had big yellow eyes, and gave a small hoot. Cho chuckled, and gave Luna a hug.

"Thank you Luna, thank you so much! I'll write you all the time I promise." Cho said sincerely. Allen Miller stepped up to Cho.

"**Alright, alright listen up people… time for the last gift of the evening so that we can get this party really started." **Miller said.Everyone cheered at the announcement.** "Now… a bunch of the Ravenclaw students like to have the idea that Cho Chang should have the title pride of Ravenclaw, or Princess of Ravenclaw. Well I say that that's bullocks…" **Miller started in a booming voice, waving his hands, and then paused for effect, as the crowed quitted, shocked by his problem with the title. **"Ya see at one time or another Cho has been here for most of the people in this room, and well we Slythern have wanted to adopt her as our own, but then…" **Miller Started, and paused for another dramatic effect, as some of the students booed playfully. **"… then I got to talking with my good friend Susan Bones, she said that the Hufflepuffs wanted to claim her as their princess. Turns out she has a lot of friends there. Well, Miss Parvati Patel here says that Cho has a healthy number of friends in Gryffindor as well, and if anyone should get the honor that it should be them. **Cho looked over at Parvati, who had a light smile on her face, but, Cho was worried about her, wondering if she was just pretending to have a good time, and worrying about her sister. Cho promised herself to talk to her before the party let out. **"…well what could we all do with this little problem? We finally decided on a duel to the death of the seventh year prefects…" **Miller paused for another effect, as the students laughed at the obvious joke. **"…but then we realized that that would hurt, and… I'm just much to delicate, and handsome to get roughed up like that. Sooo most of the guys here got together, worked a little magic, and decided that Cho was not a princess of any of the houses… because Cho Chang…" **Miller turned to a confused, Cho, and smiled. **"Cho Chang is the pride and Princess of all of Hogwarts. So Mr. Ingleby, if you'll come forward please. **

Inglebie, who was a member of Cho's Quidditch team, came forward and placed a silver tiara on Cho's head. Allen Miller then put a ribbon around her that read Princess of Hogwarts.

He smiled at her and she blushed, her olive complection now beat red. Susan Bones also came up to Cho with a bouquet of roses, and Dennis Creevey snapped some pictures of her. Tears started to roll down her eyes, and she thanked everyone for their generosity. Everyone was smiling, everyone except Hermione Granger. Cho looked over and saw a worried look in her face. When everyone went back to dancing, playing party games, and the party was in full swing Hermione walked up to Cho, and spoke.

"Um, Cho… what… what do they all mean by you going away? I mean, really school has only began. Are… are you leaving sooner… are you transferring schools?" Hermione asked." Cho opened her mouth to answer when the door to the library slammed open, and Marietta and all of her friends who had been in the library that fateful day came walking in. Everyone knew that Cho and Marietta had had a falling out, and they all realized at once that Marietta shouldn't be here. The room quieted, and Erica Goldberg, turned the record player off. A silence fell over the crowed, as Marietta looked around, her arms folded. She was flanked by her society friends on either side of her, and she had four letters in her hand. Cho's face turned to one of instant anger.

"**What are you doing here Marietta Edgecombe? Your not invited… none of you are." **Cho's voice echoed scanning each of the society members. Marietta looked around again at the decorations and the people standing in silence. Then Marietta looked back at Cho.

"Not invited? Why I've never missed one of your parties, and I told you that I would be wishing you a happy birthday again. Besides, _I have a gift for you_ _Chang_." Marietta said in a mischievous tone. Cho balled her hands into fist, and stared into Marietta with utter contempt.

"I don't want… anything from you Marietta. Just leave my party. You wouldn't like it here anyway. No one wants to join your hate filled society. We're all about excepting others here." Cho said in an unfriendly tone. Marietta looked around the room, and smiled.

"_Clearly Chang_, look at the people that you accept in your group. Half-blood mudbloods, Muggleborn-mudbloods, pureblood-blood traitors, and all manors of people of inferior quality." Marietta continued. She spotted Erica Goldberg over by the record player. "Ahh I remember _you_ from our first year Goldberg, came in a levitation wheel chair, from a half blood family. A mother with no magical ability, married your Wizard father, and they had _you_… a cripple born to spend her entire life in a wheel chair. The result of Purebloods intermarrying with muggles. To bad the head master came up with that spell to allow you to fix your legs, because it would have shown people the punishment for mixing race…" Marietta started but Cho cut her off.

"**I said get the fuck out you stupid bitch. You could only hope to have friends as good as Erica. I'm grateful to have that privilege, and I don't let people talk down to my friends, so shut up!" Cho screamed at the top of her lungs. **Cho grabbed her wand and pointed it at Marietta yelling a crippling curse. Marietta jumped out of the way, and the blast missed her, but hit Ian Lewis, who had been standing behind Marietta, with full force. His legs buckled, and he fell to the ground screaming in horror that he couldn't feel his legs. Cho let lose the jinx again, but Marietta blocked it with a shield charm. The society members started to take out their wands, and Cho's friends countered, by pulling out all of theirs. Danielle Forester looked around the room; it didn't look like very good odds for the society members. Cho's friends outnumbered them three to one, and were on tow sides of them.

"**Stop! Stop!"** Danielle yelled. And everyone held their ground, bud did not attack. She looked at Cho who still had her wand trained on Marietta.

"Cho let Marietta tell you what she has for you, for your birthday, and we'll leave. Then you can enjoy your party." Danielle finished. Cho was breathing heavily, and didn't take her eyes, or wand off of Marietta, who was now, also pointing her wand at Cho.

"I told you that I don't want anything from any of _you society people_. Get out of my party!" Cho said angrily. Marietta smiled, and put her wand back in her pocket.

"Oh, but dear Cho… I think your going to want my gift. You see, when we were handling mail earlier today, well some letters got… misplaced. Must have… oh, fallen behind a filing cabinet or something. In any event… after you left in such a hurry, I realized our mistake, and decided to keep the letters, so I could return them too you. Since I realized how much that you enjoy hearing from your family, and all that… I took the liberty of bringing them here myself as a present _from me to you._ Cho looked at Marietta suspiciously.

"What are you at Marietta?" Cho asked unsure of what Marietta was up to.

"Up to Cho? Why what ever do you mean? I'm just giving a gift to my onetime best friend on her birthday." Marietta said in her mischievous tone. "But… if you don't want the letters…" Marietta said turning away to walk out.

"**Marietta… give me back my letters!"** Cho shouted. Marietta turned back to face her.

"Say the magic word Cho… you know _please_. Let me hear it." Marietta smiled. Cho's grip tightened on her wand.

"Marietta… if you don't give me those letters, then the _magic word_ is going to be an unforgivable curse." Cho said with the most serious tone. Everyone in the room gasped.

"Oh, dear Cho. You don't want to go to Azkaban now do you? You see…" Marietta started but was cut off.

"**Now! Give them to me now!"** Cho screamed shaking her wand at Marietta.

"Okay Cho, have it your way." Marietta said politely. She carefully walked up to Cho and handed her the letters under the angry gaze of her and her friends. She then turned to leave, but stopped at the doors, and turned back, putting her hand in her pocket.

"Oh! Dear me, I almost forgot. I still have one… it's from your father. Um, maybe you might like to read this one to the room Cho, to show them what wonderful successes the muggle doctors are able to perform. Marietta handed it to Cho casually, and motioned her fellow society members out the door. When she reached the doorway she turned to Cho who was just taking the parchment out of the envelope.

"Happy Birthday Cho Chang." Marietta smiled, and then shut the door behind her.

Cho read the letter to herself as everyone looked on. The further that she read, the more contorted her expression became. Tears started falling out of her eyes, and she began to tremble, her hands shaking. Suddenly the noise around her went almost mute, as if she were hearing everything underwater. She looked around at everyone, they were speaking, asking what was wrong, but she could barely hear them. She felt physically ill. She finished reading the letter, and crumpled it in her hand. She looked around the room at everyone staring at her. It was too much. Suddenly Cho burst out the door into the hall in a full run, slamming into Harry Potter in an impact that knocked them both down. She looked at him for a minute.

"Cho, I'm sorry I'm late, but the staircases changed on me. I had to go around the long way. I just saw Marietta Edgecombe and that girl that was at the rally with you laughing, on there way to the North Tower. They came from your party. Your not still friends with them are you?" Harry said with a confused look on her face. Cho heard him but barely. She looked into his eyes, but could not speak; she opened her mouth to talk, but choked up. Harry looked around, and picked up a small package that had been knocked out of his hands. Cho just looked at him, tears pouring down her eyes.

"Are you going to speak to me Cho, what's wrong now?" Harry asked a little annoyed. She was still shaking; she grabbed her stomach, and threw up next to Harry.

"**Hey! Watch it!"** Harry said as he scooted away from the pool of vomit on the floor. Cho got up and ran with great haste, down the corridor with Harry calling after her. She didn't stop until she found a girl's lavatory, which she entered, made her way to a stall and got sick again in the toilet. It was then that she burst on in uncontrollable crying, kneeling over the toilet, and resting her head, and one arm on the seat. She cried long so hard that it was a struggle to draw each breath, until she was physically exhausted. When she could cry no more, she knelt there in silence, her head throbbing from the pain, and her stomach in knots. Time stopped, the world stopped, and everything was numb. Hours later, she barely heard the foot steps behind her. A hand grabbed the paper still clenched in Cho's hand, and another one stroked her head. Cho heard barley audible voices talking, but didn't care. She felt drugged everything numb.

"Go and tell the others that we found her. And tell them to go and get Madam Pomfrey here." One unrecognizable voice said. Someone hugged her from behind, telling her that it would be okay. She was lifted up, and carried by two girls that she recognized, as Susan Bones, and Erica Goldberg. As the two girls carried her out of the lavatory, Cho looked over at Luna Lovegood reading her letter, tears now coming out of Luna's eyes. Hermione Granger stood next to her a confused look on her face. Cho was layer out on the floor and then rose, with a cushion producing levitation charm. They ended up taking her to hospital. She lay there motionless, unable to cry anymore. Other students asked Luna to show them the letter, but she refused. Saying that it was personal, and that Cho would have to tell them in her own time. Soon Madam Pomfrey was ushering other students out, but Luna protested, and said that she wouldn't leave Cho's side, even if it meant detention for the rest of the year. Madam Pomfrey finally relented, and said that Luna and one other student could stay. Luna grabbed Hermione's wrist, and said that Hermione should stay. Everyone else was ushered out, and Madam Pomfrey after looking Cho over, and determining that Cho was in no life threatening danger, left to go talk to some of the students, to find out what happened, locking the door behind her, and instructing Luna and Hermione not to let anyone else in.

Luna walked over to Cho, who was lying in the hospital bed, not able to speak. Luna then burst into tears herself, crying that she was sorry, and wished that she could make it all better. After a few minutes, Hermione pulled Luna, and brought her face to face with her.

"Luna, you have to tell me what's going on." Hermione said in a demanding tone. Luna looked at her with blurry eyes.

"I can't Hermione; I promised Cho that I would never tell." Luna started.

"Look Luna, I understand the importance of a promise, I do. But you have to tell me. We need to help her. Please. You could have had anyone in here with you Luna, but you grabbed me. I know that you want to tell me something." Hermione persisted. Luna sobbed.

"It's true Hermione, I have to tell someone, it's killing her to keep it all inside, she can't do it anymore or she'll go crazy." Luna said weakly.

"What's killing her Luna, what's in the letter from Cho's father?" Hermione demanded. Luna looked at Hermione.

"You… you have to promise that… that you won't tell anyone else. Not anyone. Promise." Luna said.

"I promise. I swear." Hermione said truthfully. Luna looked around the room, and then back to Hermione.

"I need someone to confess to sometimes too." Luna said.

"What?" Hermione said not understanding.

"Um, Cho's family, they don't talk about family problems to outsiders, not ever. Cho promised not to talk about her mum to anyone here at school, but she broke that promise to talk to me. She needed someone to talk to, and, it was me. It's been very hard on her with no mail lately you see." Luna started. "Her mum has been sick for a long time. It's been really bad too… Breast Cancer. Well, over the summer Cho's mum was admitted to a muggle hospital, and… they… they had to remove her left Breast." Luna said with effort. Hermione gasped, and after a moment Luna continued. "Well… you see. They thought that by doing that that they could get rid of the cancer. For a short time, they thought that they had taken care of it. But… _it came back Hermione. _Luna said wiping away a tear. With no mail, Cho and I didn't know what was going on. We didn't know what her condition was. Then when Marietta came to the party, she… she brought Cho this." Luna said in horror as she held up the parchment. Hermione saw the fear in her eyes.

"Is… is her mum… dead Luna?" Hermione asked carefully. Luna shook her head.

"No, she's not, but it's still really bad Hermione. That's why Marietta chose to give her the letter at her birthday party." Luna said, crying. Hermione started to shake a little. She looked into Luna's saddened eyes, and swallowed before asking her next question.

"Luna… what does the letter say?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Luna put her head down for a minute trying to get the words out, as the tears dropped from her cheeks. Finally she looked up at Hermione with a depressed look on her face.

"It's… Cho's mum, she… the doctors, they… choke**_ they had to remover her other breast Hermione._**" Luna said with great sadness.


	48. Chapter 48

Chaos666: Yes, I can't wait for the climactic girl fight between her and Cho, but I'm not sure when I'll get there. I'm glad that you have developed such anger toward Marietta; I think that that means I'm writing her well. MR. Watson, would definitely not like a muggle prison, but I'm not sure of his fate, just yet.

T-person: Yea, I'm always trying to top Marietta's previous acts. I'm getting really bummed out about the last book; I don't even know if Cho will be in it. It would be nice to see her and Harry be friends again, even if they can't be together. I didn't like JK's treatment of her in the last part of OOTP, but I think that it wasn't all Cho's fault even then. I just hope if she is in the last book they don't kill her off. I really don't like the Harry/Ginny Parings. It really bothers me that people would take the time to make a hate sight to anyone, especially a fictional character that doesn't kill anyone, and is going through emotional stress.

imakeeper: Thanks for the review:) I'm glad You liked it. I can't think of anything more evil than that, to give to someone at their party.

Froggie2: Cho will have to be going for a while soon, but Harry won't let her leave without saying goodbye, and she will be back soon enough. And then I'll get the romance going… **_finally! _**But thanks for being so touched by that chapter; it really was something that I worked on a long time.

white light spirit: Hello, nice to meet you Yamilet.:) What? Cho better off dead? Never! She'll pull through, but Marietta will not make it easy on her. And her loyalty to Harry will soon face the ultimate challenge.

Chang Kuei: Yes, it's very dark times for her. She never seems to get a break, and now she has to return home and explain why she dropped out of school. Poor Cho.

AntiBush: Well actually he will find out soon, but he doesn't pick up on it himself, not because he's dumb or anything, but because he just misreads everything. When he saw Marietta coming out of Cho's party laughing, he thought that she was having a good time, and when he saw Cho crying, well because of all the trauma in her life, Harry just thought that it was over Cedric again. About the 90's pop music, well, err… I just had to think of something's that Cho's cousins could have gone to see. But notice no one had heard of James Blunt, so it's early in his career, like he doesn't even have a CD, actually he's still be a captain in the military then huh, oh well… he was on leave. As for the spice girls CD. I never listened to music when I was younger, so the Spice girls are the only British group that I remember from the 90's. But I had to think of a 90's muggle CD for Cho to get. As for Dumbledore, and Watson, well at one time long ago Dumbledore did frighten Watson, but he's been plotting his revenge all these decades. As for the helicopter, it's more comfortable than a broom, and he has to get around someway since he can't use one. Besides, you'll see another use for it later. Remember Marietta strengthened the rotor blades. Oh, the Zulu thing, I didn't know that most of them fired from out of range, I did her the History Channel Documentary, but it's been a while. I just remember seeing the movie, and hearing that they shot the tenor. "Men of Hurlock stop your pleading, can't you see their spear points gleaming…" and something.

Okay chapter 48. God! Oh! By the way I finished the chapter of Cho's birthday around mine, July 19th ironic. Anyway I actually didn't want to write this chapter, but I thought everyone would be asking, were are the Masters in all this, and I hate plot holes, so that's why it's here. Next chapter Harry finds out about Cho's mum. Should be better, this is mostly filler. But… I hope you like it. Thanks for all the reviews.

**Chapter 48: Enough Blame to go around **

Harry walked into his dorm room to find Ron reading a potions book. Ron looked up at the depressed look on his face.

"What's wrong Harry? You don't look like you enjoyed the party." Ron said surprised. Harry walked over to his nightstand and tossed a small gift wrapped package in the top drawer, and closed it. He then looked up at Ron.

"Yea, well I decided not to go after all." Harry said in an irritated voice, and then started changing into his pajamas. Ron rose and eyebrow.

"Really, I heard it was going to be a great party. Luna invited me. Why didn't you go?" Ron asked curious. Harry finished dressing and fell back onto his bed looking up at nothing in particular.

"Because Cho Chang is a sobbing git, and an evil society of the err… whatever member." Harry said very annoyed.

"Come on mate… I thought that you told me that she said that she didn't belong to that lot." Ron said. Harry turned his head to him as he placed his glasses on the nightstand.

"Yea, well… she told me that, but when I arrived late to her party I saw Marietta Edgecombe, and that other society girl that was at the rally, coming out of Cho's party laughing, and having a good time. Then Cho came out knocking me over. She was crying again, and almost threw up on me. Likely had a few to many butter beers I think. Anyway I asked her what was wrong, and she wouldn't even speak to me. She's always crying, Luna said it was about something else, not Cedric, but I don't think so. In any event I'm getting tired of her constant tear spewing outburst, her lies about not still being friends with those people, and her keeping secrets from me. I mean… I've tried to be as civil as I could. I really wanted to believe her, but… all the evidence points to Cho Chang as being against me." Harry said, in a depressed tone. Ron put down his book, to concentrate more on the conversation.

"Harry, what happened after she almost threw up on you?" Ron asked intrigued.

"Well she just ran down the hall sobbing. I mean it was her birthday party, you'd think that she would be happy at her birthday party. Anyway I'm done with her once and for all. That's the end. I can't take the drama anymore Ron!" Harry said frustrated. Ron looked at him confused.

"I thought you were going out with Fiona Burrows?" Ron exclaimed. Harry nodded. I am, but I thought… never mind. Yea, Fiona and me, we're a couple." Harry said mater of factly, not sure what it meant. Ron put his book on the nightstand.

"Well your lucky Harry. She's one of the prettiest girls in school, Fiona." Ron said honestly. Harry nodded.

"Yea, that's what everyone tells me. How lucky I am." Harry said unhappily. "Hey Ron, how come you didn't go to the party? You said that Luna asked you didn't you?" Harry asked. Ron frowned.

"Uh, I had to read my potions book, so I had to turn her down for tonight." Ron said disappointed. Harry shot up and looked at him.

"You chose potions work over a party?" Harry asked shocked.

"I had to! Ever since Hermione and I split up I, err… I mean ever since Hermione and I stopped talking to each other I… well, I've almost been falling behind. I have to work all the time after class to just keep up. It's going to start cutting into my Quidditch time if I don't spend the rest of my free time doing it." Ron said agitated. Harry jumped.

"**Oh god I forgot to schedule the practice game for next weekend! I have to…" **Harry started, but Ron cut him off.

"Relax Harry, I already talked to Jeremy Stretton, and he said that we could play Ravenclaw next weekend, but we had to promise no more cheating, and that if we did try any of what we did before than they would show us that Ravenclaw wasn't going to just take it like Huffelpuff did. Also Madam Hooch is going to be the Ref. so we'll lose pointes for cheating." Ron said. Harry looked up again.

"I thought that things were cooling off by now. Damn that Draco Malfoy… I still need to get even with him for what he did." Harry said. Ron looked at him.

"Well Harry, things have cooled off, but well just not everything just yet. I mean Miggins is still in a coma at St. Mungoes." Ron said, and we still don't have evidence to go after Malfoy just yet." Ron reminded Harry.

"Yea, too bad, but will find something. I guess Cho's the seeker, do you know who the rest of the Ravenclaw team members are?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head.

"No I didn't ask. Just found out that Stretton was the new Captain." Ron finished. Harry nodded and he and Ron said their goodnights. As Harry lay in his bead, he could not get to sleep right away. Cho's crying face kept entering his mind. _How could you lie to me Cho? Why do you keep hurting me with your lies, and your secretes? Don't you know that I hurt from not being able to know what is causing you such pain? How could you be a member of some crazy organization like that? Don't you even have muggle friends, and… or are you a spy. Pretending to be someone who accepts others, but really hates them. Are you working with Draco to destroy me? I don't want to believe it Cho. I want to believe that you're that good person who has so many diverse friends, and who stood up for me last year. But how can I… how can I not believe the worst after what I've seen? _Harry thought, as a tear rolled down his cheek. He turned his head to look at the earring on his nightstand. He reached over, grabbed it, and held it up looking at it in the moon light. _I can't trust you Cho. It hurts, but I know that I can't. I'll keep this with me to remind me of your lies. I'll reach into my pocket and feel it whenever I talk to you. It will keep me from falling for anymore of your lies. _Harry thought as fresh tears fell from his eyes, but he dared not make a sound. It was time to forget Cho. She was the past. Fiona was his present. After all isn't that what everyone told him? _How lucky I am… that's all I hear. How lucky I am. Fiona doesn't cry to me, lie to me, or keep secrets from me. At least she doesn't appear to. I mean, she's a bit… well she likes to hang with a certain crowd, but…I can change her mind about some people. I just need to spend more time with her. Once she spends more time with Luna, she'll see what a good person she is. _Harry thought as he drifted off to sleep.

**Filche's Living Quarters:**

Dumbledore lay nude on the mattress in Filche's officeeyes closed, but not asleep. He had his hands in a praying position in front of his mouth. Concentrating on his knowledge of spells, jinxes, and his vast understanding of the most secrete of knowledge that he had used to defeat the Voldermort and his allies. Memories were becoming available to him now, specific forms of waving the wand at just the right angle, memories of his vast experiences in dealing with death eaters, it was choppy, and in bits. _The Order, he knows, Voldermort knows. Harry must not know of his inheritance yet. What is the Order, Dumbledore? You're in Eastern Europe. She is dead. You've killed her. But who have you avenged? Black, Godfather. Who's godfather? The prophecy. Something. I don't know. You have avenged…Potter. His Godfather! The criminal! _

"Gasp!" Dumbledore jumped up in shock, at the realization that **_he_**, was aware that his mind was being delved into. Suddenly his human form melted away, and sank into a clear blob on the floor. In a moment it then morphed into Seamus Finnigan again, and let out a frustrated sigh. The nude Seamus got up, and returned to Filches desk to finish the letters, by the light of the candle. Moments later Marietta Edgecombe casually walked into the room. And casually threw herself into the nearest chair, crossing her legs, and looking at her boyfriend happily. Seamus didn't look up from his letters.

"How was the party my sweet?" He asked casually. Marietta smiled.

"The reception wasn't very warm, but in the end… it couldn't have been better. However, it turns out that Cho is leaving us… and that will complicate my plans for her and Potter." Marietta said. Seamus looked up at her quickly and then continued with his writing.

"Well you can hardly blame her. If her mother is that sick I don't think that we'll see her again. I'm not looking forward to your plan for her anyway. I told you how doing that hurts me, so I'd just assume not." He said flatly. Marietta gave him a sensual smile.

"We need her if we're to get everyone of her friends to really go against Potter. I'll think of a way to get her back. If… her father doesn't send her back as soon as she arrives. Trust me; they are very serious about education the Changs. Family honor, and all that. To get anything less than an E is a disgrace. She'll be forced back here to complete her education, because if less than an E is a disgrace, than I can promise you that dropping out will not be acceptable. Yea… she'll be back. In the meantime… what are you writing, homework?" Marietta asked. Seamus looked up.

"No, I'm writing a letter to Shamus's parents, requesting to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas Holliday. I've been writing to them for the last coupe of months. They'll get suspicious if they don't hear anything. So I write them once a week. I'm getting to know Seamus very well from all his winning that he does down there in that pit." Seamus said. Marietta raised an eyebrow.

"You can hear him?" she asked surprised. Seamus giggled.

"No, I can feel him. He's constantly winning, and going a little mad actually. He's trying to dig his way out with an empty can of jam that he had eaten. To bad that he doesn't know that you bewitched the room in case he tried that too. But then as I just told you that as him, he will by tomorrow. And I must say, if he ever gets out of there, he plans to kill you… _very slowly_." The fake Seamus said. It sent an unhappy look on Marietta's face.

"Well, I don't think that we ever have to worry about him getting out of there. Not until _I_ decide the terms. Seamus put his quill down and looked across the room at Marietta in a very serious gaze that drew her full attention.

"We have another problem, you know how I've been becoming Dumbledore, and trying to learn his fighting style, and magical secretes?" Seamus asked. Marietta nodded. "Well he knows that someone's been snooping around in that head of his." Seamus finished. Marietta gasped.

"You mean… you mean… _he's onto us_?" she asked nervously.

"No, I've been able to keep him from finding out who's doing it. He suspects its Voldermort, but if I stay in his mind too long he'll know it's not. Also it is instantaneous for him, he doesn't remember it the next day, but is almost instantly aware of it. It takes all of my concentration to block him from suspecting that it's not Voldermort." Seamus continued.

"Alright, I see… what do we do about it?" Marietta asked. Seamus closed his eyes in thought.

"I can't ever stay in his head too long, but I am learning things to combat him. Eventually I'll be ready, but I have to be careful. His knowledge is vast, and I'll need all of it to be ready for him when the time comes. He truly is the greatest Wizard alive." Seamus finished a bit of admiration in his voice. Marietta balled her hands into fist in suppressed rage.

"_He's a blood traitor_. He must be punished, and we must not fail. What else is there?" She said coldly. Seamus scratched his head.

Well… I'm not sure if it's anything that we can use. He's just been in a battle; it actually made it easer for me to sneak around with him being distracted. It turns out that he has killed a female Death Eater by the name of Bellatrix Lestrange, to avenge someone's godfather. And then… something about an Order of something, but I had to leave his mind after that. It was Harry Potter's godfather, Sirius Black." Seamus said.

"What the criminal Sirius Black, the one responsible for his parent's death?" Marietta asked surprised.

"That's right. But evidently Dumbledore knew him, and the man and Harry were on good terms, before his death." He said.

"His death? Sirius Black is dead? Killed by Dumbledore?" Marietta asked.

"No, killed by his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. Dumbledore has just killed her in revenge, or perhaps a more _proactive_ self defense." Seamus replied. Marietta thought for a second.

"Why would Dumbledore want to avenge Sirius Black? I mean he worked for You-Know-Who didn't he?" she asked confused.

"Apparently not, but I wasn't able to stay in Dumbledore's mind any longer without getting caught. So… I didn't get the answer. I did however find out that he knows spells not in any book. Before I started on Seamus letters I wrote the spells down immediately with drawn descriptions of how to wave the wand." Seamus finished. Marietta nodded.

"Good, did you find out anything else?" Marietta asked.

"Only that he is keeping Harry from finding out about his inheritance. What his godfather left him." Seamus said.

"What did he leave him?" Marietta asked.

"I don't know, but I'll find out next time, provided I can stay long enough. Don't you have to refresh the body about now?" Seamus asked changing the subject.

"Oh yes, I'll get right to it." Marietta said. She walked over to another chair, and removed it. Then she used her wand, to open the trapdoor hidden in the floor. She knelt down, and opened the casket. Using her refreshing charm she prevented the natural decay that it was aire to. _They had better find that girls body soon. Things need to start progressing more quickly._ She thought.

**The next Morning, 05:00 AM the Corridor outside the Entrance to Dumbledore's Office: **

Allen Miller beckoned Marietta, Danielle, Luna and Cho through the corridor, past the waiting students that had gathered there. None of the girls knew what was going on, only that the Ravenclaw Prefect rousted them out of bed, and told them that they had an audience with the masters in the office of Dumbledore himself. They had barley had enough time to flush their eyes with water, and get into their uniforms. Each of them were very tired, and all the students that they passed looked equally so. Finally they came to the great stone statue, and Allen Miller stopped in front of it. He turned to face them all. Luna looked at him sleepy eyed.

"Miller… Yawn… what's this all about." She asked groggy.

"After the party a bunch of the other students and I got together and decided to lodge a formal complaint against Marietta, and her cohorts. So I asked for an emergency meeting of the masters." Miller said proudly. Marietta's eyes widened.

"**What?** Oh come on Miller this is stupid. What do you hope to accomplish by this? Besides, I did nothing wrong, and, do you realize what time it is?" Marietta countered.

"Nothing wrong? You sent her off crying for hours with that letter that you gave her, and you insulted the lot of us at the party with your snide remarks. I'm going to see that you get your just punishment Edgecombe." Miller said angrily.

"You've got to be kidding me Miller, like I need to give her a reason to cry. Ask anyone, she's sobbing all the time. All I did was be considerate enough to return some mail to her. After all the letter was from her father, and I was sure that she would have wanted to have it back." Marietta countered.

"Whatever. Your so full of it Marietta, and when Cho shows the masters whatever was in that letter that you gave her to make her cry so much, than you'll be lucky to still be in this school." Miller said.

"**What?"** Cho cried. Miller looked back at her.

"Well Cho you have to show them what she gave you, so that we can have Marietta punished." Miller said.

"No. No I don't let's just drop it. How did you arrange a meeting so quickly anyway?" Cho asked nervously.

"Were not dropping it Cho, and Marietta's going to get it for harassing you, after they see whatever… hey what was in the letters Cho? I forgot to check with you first." Miller said absentmindedly. Cho's face started to turn pale.

"Nothing, you'll have to tell the Masters that it was all a mistake. I… look it doesn't matter. I'm leaving in less than a week anyway." Cho said. Miller looked at her in surprise.

"What do you mean doesn't matter, she obviously hurt you very badly. Ruined your birthday Party. She's got to get in trouble; we all roused the masters out of bed to complain." Miller stated. Cho opened her mouth to say something when Professor Flitwick opened the door to Dumbledore's office. They both looked down at Cho's head of house. He had a sleepy look in his eyes and an irritated look on his face.

"Alright Mr. Miller, the five of you may come in now." Flitwick said wearily, and guided them to their seats, then took his own at the masters table that had been set up. The five students walked into the head masters office, and sat down in five seats set side by side in the middle of the room. Across from them was the masters table, at which sat Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Sprout. Flitwick stood up on his chair to allow him to see over the table. He turned to look at the five students in front of him. "In case any of you are not yet clear on why you're here… this morning, which will be hard because none of us have that full knowledge ourselves. However this morning a large group of students led by Mr. Miller here knocked on My door to complain about Miss Marietta Edgencombe, and some of her friends, storming into Miss Cho Chang's party, and abusing her. Normally we would of coarse not hold a meeting on such short notice, however as the students were so outraged, and refused to let me, and the other masters rest until something was resolved, we have assembled this rather emergency meeting, to see what this is all about. Now. Mr. Miller. What is this all about? Why are there several dozen students outside this office right now?" Professor Flitwick asked genuinely. Allen Miller stood up. He looked around confused before he spoke.

"Where is the Head Master?" He asked.

"The Head Master is away on urgent business at this time. You may direct your complaints to the rest of us. I can assure you that we are fully qualified to handle student abuse issues Mr. Miller. Normally we would have waited, but everyone seemed to be very anxious for us to take immediate action. Now please… explain yourself. You were chosen as the voice of the students outside in this matter." Filch finished.

"Well Professor. Last night we were all at Cho Changs birthday party in the library, and Marietta and her friends, including that girl barged in and abused Cho Chang." Miller said pointing at Danielle Forester. She shot up out of her chair.

"**What, this is so much bullocks. We never abused her. He's lying."** Danielle countered, pointing back at Miller.

"That's enough Miss Forester! You will have your turn to speak, let Mr. Miller continue." Professor Flitwick said. He turned back to Allen Miller. "Now Mr. Miller, to accuse a student of physical abuse is a very serious thing. Did Miss Forester or Miss Edgecombe use their wands on Miss Chang, or did they attack her without the use of magic, with their fist?" Professor Flitwick asked. Miller hesitated, but then spoke.

"Well Professor, she didn't actually physically abuse Cho, but she more verbally attacked her." Miller said, unsteadily.

"You mean… she insulted her, called her names and things like that?" Professor McGonagall said looking very tired.

"Well yes… err, no… I mean she, well it was the way that she said things, like… well she insulted all of us, calling us blood traitors, and mudbloods, and the like. She even said that Erica Goldberg was a cripple because her father was a wizard, and her mum was a muggle." Miller said now more confident.

"Well that is serious, is this true Miss Edgecombe?" Professor Flitwick asked. Marietta stood up.

"Well I may have made comments that I didn't approve of her friends for one reason or another, and I may have mentioned things that I'd read about… the effects of purebloods intermixing with Muggleborn, but I thought that we were entitled to our opinions, I mean after all… this is still a free country isn't it? I didn't say anything to hurtful." Marietta finished. Professor Flitwick gave her an angry look.

"Miss Edgecombe, this may be a free country, but I can assure you that this school has its own rules. And those rules do not allow for the racial discrimination of fellow students. It is a behavior that we will not tolerate. We also do not tolerate making fun of others because of disabilities that they have." Professor Flitwick explained.

"Professor I… she doesn't have a disability, she's cured. And I was only pointing out that… well some credible scientist say that intermixing the muggle, and wizarding race, are…" Marietta began but was cut off.

"Miss Edgecombe! We are not here to discuss junk science by a few kooks in the industry, which are **_not credible_** by any stretch of the imagination." Professor Flitwick cut her off. "But Mr. Miller, what does this have to do with Miss Chang, other than it being at her party?" he asked.

"Well sir Marietta Edgecombe delivered mail to Cho that made her cry." Miller said. Marietta stood up.

"I delivered mail to her that had been misplaced, and I thought that it would be a kind jester, to return it to her at her party. And I would like to add that Cho Chang attacked Ian Lewis and I with a crippling curse, Ian is still in the hospital right now." Marietta countered. Professor Flitwick turned to Miller.

"Is, that true, did Miss Chang attack them?" Professor Flitwick asked. Miller's jaw dropped. This was not how he had intended to plead his case against Marietta.

"Well… in a manor of speaking Professor. I mean, Marietta had just finished, insulting us, and that was why she did it. I mean it was completely understandable that she should defend us from Marietta." Miller said.

"So, Miss Edgecombe had her wand out in a threatening manor?" Professor Sprout asked. Miller had an unsure look on his face.

"Uh, well no Professor, but… I mean, you see…" Miller started to falter.

"So Mr. Lewis had his wand out in a threatening manor, and that's why she hit him with the curse?" Professor Snape spoke up. Miller waved his hands in front of him.

"No, no it's not like that, they insulted us, and that's why she zapped them, so it's completely acceptable you see." Miller put in. Professor Flitwick gave a long sigh.

"No Mr. Miller… it is not completely acceptable. If a student has a problem with another student, they are to take it up with the masters, not take things into their own hands. That is never acceptable. Miss Chang what do you have to say for yourself?" Flitwick asked in a very annoyed tone. Cho didn't get up.

"Nothing, I'm sorry. Can I go?" Cho asked quietly, not making eye contact. Miller looked at her angrily.

"What do you mean nothing?" Miller said. He then turned to Professor Flitwick. "Professor Marietta gave Cho the letters. What about that?" Miller asked.

"I told all of you that I was kind enough to give Cho the letters, because they had been misplaced when she got her mail. I wanted to return them to her. I thought since she was so keen on news from home that I would surprise her with them. Now, tell us, **_honestly_** Miller, did I ever say a bad word to Cho at the party?" Marietta asked him. Miller balled up his fist.

"Well… no, but it was the way that you said it. The voice you used. It was sarcastic." Miller said unsure. Marietta folded her arms.

"Sarcastic? You don't like the sound of my voice, and you wake the masters up for that, you and your… **gang**?" Marietta said with contempt.

"My gang? Those are all Cho's friends out there." Miller said hotly, proving that he had a lot of witnesses.

"Alright then… Cho's gang." Marietta said casually, tossing her hair. "And had I not been so quickly rousted out of bed, I could produce witnesses of my own, who would speak in Danielle, and my defense. But really ask any of your friends if they heard me say one negative thing about Cho, and I can assure you that none will be able to recall anything bad that I said about her either." Marietta finished. Miller looked at her with hatred in his eyes.

"What about the letter Marietta?" Miller said. "Whatever news was in it. It really hurt Cho enough to make her cry, and run off from her own party." Miller said. Marietta rolled her eyes.

"Like Cho Chang needs a reason to cry, isn't that all she ever does. Look, what are my crimes that would warrant an emergency meeting like this: You didn't like the tone of my voice? You didn't like the fact that I was nice enough to deliver Cho's mail to her? You don't like the fact that I care enough about Cho to not approve of all of her friends?" Marietta asked innocently. Miller opened his mouth to speak, but Professor Snape cut him off.

"Mister Miller. What was in the letter?" Snape asked casually.

"Sir?" Miller asked caught off guard.

"The letter that Miss Edgecombe gave to Miss Chang. What was in it?" Snape asked. Miller looked over to Cho.

"Well… I'm not sure sir, but it was pretty bad. I mean it made her run off to the lavatory; she had cried herself to exhaustion when we found her." Miller said. Snape looked over at Cho.

"Well Miss Chang… what was in the letter?" Professor Snape asked. Cho looked around at everyone, at Marietta, Danielle, Luna and Miller, and then the Masters. She felt as if on trial.

"It was… nothing. Can I go now?" Cho said weakly, looking at the ground.

"Please answer Professor Snape's question, Miss Chang." Professor McGonagall asked in an authoritive tone. Cho looked up at them.

"It was just… news from home. Personal." Cho said.

"Well perhaps we should have a look at them Miss Chang." Professor Sprout put in. A tear fell from Cho's eyes, and she bit her lip to keep more from escaping.

"No sir." She said softly. Professor McGonagall gave a sigh.

"Miss Chang, that letter seems to be at the root of this controversy. We need to see it if you want us to help you, and I need to know why I was awoken so early. Now, give it to Mr. Miller so that he can bring it to us." Professor McGonagall said forcefully.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I'm sorry." Cho said. Luna stood up.

"Professors, Cho promised her father that she wouldn't talk about the letter because it was about…" Luna started.

"**Luna! Stop!"** Cho pleaded. Luna did so, and sat back down.

"About what Miss Lovegood?" Their head of house asked. Luna looked at Cho's pleading face, and then turned back to Professor Flitwick.

"Nothing sir, nothing." She said disappointed. The Professor's excused themselves to go into a back room. After several moments they came back out. Professor Flitwick stood back up in his chair.

"Okay here's what's going to happen. Miss Edgencombe, because of your racist remarks, and your remarks about the disabled. You will write two letters of apology on four six foot long feet of parchment. One copy to the students that you insulted and one copy to Miss Erica Goldberg in particular. They will each be sincere, very sincere. You will write two a copy for each letter and turn it into us for review. If we don't find it sincere enough, we'll make you write them again." Professor Flitwick said. Marietta's face turned to one of depression, and she sat back in her chair. "Furthermore, you will receive one hour of detention for two weeks after classes. Marietta sat up.

"What! Professor that's not fair." Marietta said. Professor Flitwick looked at her angrily.

"Two hours of detention a day." He added. Marietta gasped, but sat back down, not saying anything else. "As for you Miss Chang. It is not acceptable for a student to just blast curses at people they have problems with. You can join Marietta for one hour a day, and you can write an apology to Mr. Lewis for blasting him on six feet of parchment. Next time you have a problem with a fellow student, come to one us as Mr. Miller did. _Just one of us_." Professor Flitwick intoned. Cho didn't say a word. Flitwick looked at Miller. "Mr. Miller. I appreciate your bringing this to our attention, but having a group of agitated students is not the procedure that we would like you to follow from now on. Just your head of house, or the on from the other students that you have a problem with. In this case me, but from now on… just don't come storming into everyone's office with a rambunctious group of students. I expect a little more subtlety from Head Boy, do you understand?" Flitwick asked.

"Yes sir, I understand." Miller nodded. Professor nodded as well.

"Good, well **_there has been enough blame to go around_** between Miss Chang, and Miss Edgecombe. You have both acted in a manor unbecoming of our house, and we have decided to take off fifty points a piece. That should put us right at the bottom. I'll be sure to pass the word around to the other students to thank you for diminishing our chances for the house cup this year. Now detention starts tomorrow after class. It will be with me in charms class, and I can assure you that I will keep you both busy. And Miss Edgecombe, I can promise you that anymore racist remarks from you, and I'll make sure that we have a new Head Girl. I expect better from you…" Flitwick started, and then he looked at Cho. "…from both of you." He finished. "Alright everyone's dismissed. Get back to your dorms and get ready for breakfast. It's seven o'clock in the morning. Cho walked past the other students who were asking what happened, without saying a word. She walked alone down the corridor, until she heard Allen Miller shouting for her. She stopped and waited for him to catch up.

"Cho why didn't you say what was in the letter? What did you father write to you about?" Miller asked. Cho looked at him for a minute, with blurry eyes. He was a tall boy with black hair, and an athletic build, and unusually nice, not just for a Slytheren, but for anyone. They had been friends for three years. He had just proved just how good of a friend that he was, and she couldn't tell him about the letter. Cho started to shake a little. She wrapped her arms around Miller and gave him a tight hug, not letting go for severally minutes. She then pulled away and looked at him a last time.

"You've been a great friend Allen. I wish I could be as well. I'm sorry about the party. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble." Cho said quietly.

"Cho… Marietta caused the trouble, not you. Look, I just want to know… about the letter." He said. Cho turned away from him, and began walking down the hall.

"I'm sorry." She said, as her heart started to hurt. _The day I leave can not come fast enough. _She thought. _Then I can stop disappointing people here. _But then she would have to do the very same thing to her parents. But she couldn't stay at Hogwarts, not now, not anymore.


	49. Chapter 49

imakeeper: It will be, but I'm not ready to put her on the losing end just yet. I mean the situation has to be really hopeless before the tide is turned. Marietta has just begun, but trust me I promise a cool fight Cho vs. Marietta at the end. I just need to get Cho and Harry together, and have a certain body discovered, and one other thing happen bad before that happens. Well actually Harry and Cho getting back together as soon as possible, but she needs to see her mum first.

T-person: Hi, thanks again for the review. Well nothing will keep Cho from leaving, but something will bring her back. Two things actually. But I cannot tell you what they are yet. Your right about the dangers of getting into Dumbledore's mind, but if they are careful, creative, and limit their time, then the shape shifter can stay for limited time in his head.

Froggie2: Marietta has just begun her devious plans, but you will see them start to unfold soon. Harry and Cho will have a brief interaction, but Cho has to go soon. Her mother's very sick. But don't expect her to stay for long. When she returns she's going to see Harry again, and I'll have a chance to do the romantic thing full swing. But they will have to face many dark challenges together.

AntiBush: Dumbledore will be trying to find out who's going through his head, but he's pressed, in battle. He did just kill Sirius's cousin. Anyway because of who he's fighting, and although he knows that someone's trying to get into his head, he'll go off in the wrong direction. I mean, wouldn't you think that it was Voldermort trying to do it if you were in constant battle with his forces? Thanks about the Cho's loyalty to her family thing. I didn't know how well that would play. Well Seamus will not escape, at least I don't think. That was more to show the torment that he was going through. I mean this thing is writing his parents saying that everything is fine, and since the thing is him so often, Seamus pretty muck knows all about their plans because he dreams it almost every night, as if it were him doing it. So he's going a little crazy in there, knowing all this, and also being in solitary confinement, with one book that he read over, and over. Cho will indeed not stay long, but she doesn't know that. Marietta will actually be one of two reasons that Cho returns, although Cho will not know that either.

**Chapter 49! **How the hell did that happen? Okay, well there are actually two points that are going to happen. Harry will start on a course to find out what is happening to him from the inside. I mean why he would fly off in a rage, why he's so filled with anger, and why he has been biting everyone's head off since OOPT. It actually is an event that has a medical explanation. Here Harry Potter will screw up severely and it will finally bring him to question why he has been acting like this.

The second point will be that of Cho Chang now about to face multiple betrayal from everywhere, even if it's unintentional. She has to leave now, to get away from everything, and to get to her mother. Her world is falling apart, and she doesn't know what to do. She's been struggling since Cedric's death, and so many bad things have happened to her. Marietta and her gang can hurt Cho, but only so much. After all, how much can you be hurt by obviously stupid people, but when that hurt comes at you from the people you love, that the insults that stay with you. Or that's just my take. Anyway… um here it is. Hope you like.

**Chapter 49: Unintentional Betrayal**

**Later that morning: **

Harry headed down the corridor on his way to breakfast in the Great Hall. He had had the nightmare again last night. The one about killing Padma. He had been having it for several nights, and it was driving him crazy, and robbing him of sleep. It had even replaced the one about him being torched by Voldermort. The nightmare was never as clear as the first time he had had it, but it still haunted him. To add to that he was still depressed about Cho's deception. She had said that she did not associate with Marietta and her lot anymore, but… he clearly saw her and some other society members walking out of Cho's party in a festive mood. That to add to Cho's random crying, even at her own birthday party was also pushing him away from her. But there was also something else. Lately a sense of blind rage, and anger had been creeping up on Harry. He tried to ignore it at first, but he was getting angrier all the time, and he didn't know why. He felt he just wanted to lash out at the world.

He was still walking down the corridor adjacent to the great hall when Cho Chang stepped out of a girl's bathroom in front of him. They both looked at each other in silence for a moment, before Cho finally spoke.

"Harry, about… last night. I'm sorry that… that I didn't stay, and that I was crying, but…" Cho started, but was cut off.

"Forget it Cho, I don't care. It was a mistake for me to go anyway. The truth is that… I really need to concentrate on my school work, and… I think that we need to take a break from hanging out with each other for a while." Harry said coldly.

"But… but… why Harry, I said that I'm sorry. You said that you believed me about the other day…" Cho said shakily. Harry shook his head.

"No Cho. I said that I _wanted_ to believe you, but… the truth is that I don't. I really don't." Harry said without emotion of any kind. Cho held her hand to her heart, when he said it. She also shook her head.

"Harry… you don't mean that. Look, I've been going through a lot of well I've been going through a lot of things lately. There have been some problems in my life, and…" Cho started, but Harry rudely interrupted.

"Problems like what Cho? What problems do you have?" Harry asked.

"Well, two of my friends were very sick, and my grades have been getting worse, plus I've been having problems at home. I know that I've seemed well suspicious, and all, but really… I'm just going through some things that you might not understand." Cho said quietly.

"Things that I might not understand… things that you can't tell me about?" Harry intoned. Cho nodded her head.

"Yes Harry, some things that I cannot tell you about, but, there are others that I can share with you, like my grades are really doing horrible, and, my friends got sick because…" Cho continued, but Harry stopped her.

"Look Cho, I… I don't want to hear it. It was a rhetorical question. The point is you really only think that you have problems. _I wish that I had your problems._ _I actually wish that you could have my problems for a day so that you would know how silly yours are in comparison._ I've got You-Know-Who, trying to kill me off every year, and every year some magical creature almost kills me. First there was a three headed dog, then giant spiders, a Basilisk, Dementors, and even Deatheaters. Added to that my Godfather died last year, and I'm having nightmares. Now would you like to trade places, and let me be you for a while Miss popular. Then you'd know how lucky you have it, how easy your life is." Harry complained. Cho held her hand to her heart, from Harry's attitude. She looked like she was about to cry.

"No, Harry. I wouldn't want to trade places with you." Cho said softly.

"I didn't think so." Harry replied coldly. Cho looked at the ground for a minute, and then looked back up at Harry.

"Because, I'd never wish my problems on other people. Why are you saying these things Harry?" Cho asked. Harry gave a heavy sigh.

"Because Cho, I can't trust you, and… I just can't stand your constant whining for no good reason. You're like a human hosepipe, and I'm tired of it. What have you got to cry about anyway? You've got hoards of friends, and your parents are rich from what I hear. So you don't need me." Harry finished. The words hit Cho like a sledge hammer. _Why are you doing this to me Harry? I thought you cared. _Cho thought. She looked into his eyes.

"Human… human hosepipe. Is that what you think of me?" Cho asked quietly.

"You cry all the time Cho. Cedric died two years ago. I liked him, but you have to let go sometime." Harry said.

"I told you that it's not Cedric Harry." Cho said upset. _Not likely true, you really did love him, so I think that you're in denial._ Harry thought.

"**Then you tell me why right now Cho. You tell me about all the secretes that you've been keeping from me since we started talking again." **Harry demanded angrily.

"**Don't yell at me, and don't make demands of me Harrison Potter. I've done nothing wrong. I've told you the truth from the start. Marietta and I are enemies. We had a fight at my party last night. That proves that were not friends." **Cho yelled back.

"**Well maybe it's because you're a spy for the society, and the fight was staged to keep you two looking like you were at each others throats." **Harry yelled back.

"**Oh, you are so full of shit Harry, that's the dumbest thing that I've ever heard of."** Cho countered.

"**Really, well you tell me Cho, what were you doing in the potions lab all those nights! And why did you bewitch that room?"** Harry said gritting his teeth to keep from shouting anymore, as several students had stopped to watch the row.

"**None of your fucking business and I told you I didn't bewitch any room. I'm not your goddamn enemy you stupid git! Don't be so fucking stupid."** Cho shouted at him. Harry was enraged; every anger about everything that had happened, and was happening over the last two years came bubbling up inside him, People trying to kill him, Dumbledore, and Cho keeping secretes from him, and his godfathers death, his nightmares about Padma. He had been hurting since the end of last year, and he was tired of it. He wanted to hurt someone else now, wanted to make someone else feel as bad as he did, and for a moment he didn't care who he was hurting, _and that's when the unthinkable happened. _

"**Fuck you, you stupid Chink bitch!" **Harry yelled hatefully. He gasped, and covered his mouth with his hand as if to stop the word from coming out, but it was too late. A collective gasp came out of the students around them, and Harry instantly regretted using it. He wanted to take it back, but it was impossible, because at that moment everything stopped. Cho didn't say another word as her jaw dropped. She just stood there stunned, looking more hurt than he had ever seen her. She looked as if it was difficult for her to breath, and she couldn't believe that the word had come out of his mouth. For a long moment there was dead silence as every student in the corridor turned to look at Harry or Cho. The two of them just stood there looking at each other in silence for what seemed to be an eternity. Harry started to walk up to Cho to beg her forgiveness. But she fled towards the Ravenclaw tower. Harry looked around at that angry faces on the students around him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." he choked. "I take it back" He said ashamed. Suddenly an Huffelpuff girl walked up to him with an angry look in her eyes.

"It's not that simple Harry Potter. You don't get to take _that_ back like you do other things. She's never going to forget that, even if she forgives you." The girl said. Harry looked at the Huffelpuff girl with fear and shame.

"I didn't mean it. I swear that I didn't mean it." Harry said, tears starting to form at his eyes.

"Then why did you say it? Out of everything that you could have called her, why _that_?" the girl asked with anger. Harry shook his head.

"I, I don't know… I was angry at her. I just wanted to hurt her. But I didn't mean to say _that_." Harry said as tears rolled down his face. "How… how do I fix it?" Harry asked the girl. She laughed at him.

"Fix it? Fix it Potter? That's not something that a simple apology will work on. You really hurt her, and if she never talks to you again, I wouldn't blame her." The girl said. Harry looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Please, how can I make this right, I'm not a racist? I'm really not. It… it was a mistake. I was stupid. I never say that, ever." Harry pleaded. "I'm so ashamed." He continued. The Huffelpuff girl looked at Harry's pleading eyes, and could tell that he was sincere in his deep regret. She gave a deep sigh, and looked toward the corridors that lead to Ravenclaw Tower.

"When you say something like that… then you have to understand that, it's not just about apologizing with words. If you're sincere, then you'll have to show her that you're sorry. If she never forgives you, I don't blame her. I don't think that I would forgive you if it was directed at me." She said. She then turned to look back at Harry. "But understand this Harry Potter. _If_… and that's a big _if_. If she forgives you, then understand that you can never say that word again. Or even think it. Honestly I want to kick your arse for it and I'm not even Chinese. So don't expect any sympathy from me. The girl looked around at the other students. A few had left for the great hall, for breakfast. She looked back at Harry Potter one more time. And don't expect to have as many friends that you did before you opened your mouth and let that shit fly out of it. Harry stood up and started to the Great Hall, head hung in shame. When he got there word of the incident hadn't spread yet, but the people at the Ravenclaw table seemed gloomy none the less. Harry walked slowly down the isle against the wall, ignoring Ron's attempt to wave him over to a seat next to him, and walked over to, where Hermione was seated. She greeted him pleasantly, but he did not respond. Instead he just sat there, next to her and across from Seamus Finnigan who was pouring another goblet of punch. Harry started looking at the Ravenclaw table, hoping to see Cho Chang, so that he could fall to his knees and beg her forgiveness. After it didn't look like she was going to show up, Harry finally turned to Hermione.

"I need your help Hermione. Harry said in a sad tone.

"With Potions?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.

"No… I think I'm going crazy. I think… I'm having nightmares about Padma Patel, and I'm filled with rage lately. I'm mad at everyone all the time, and I took it out on Cho Chang today. I didn't mean too. I just I was filled with rage. She was trying to explain something to me, tell me why… but I got mad, and yelled at her. I called her something. It was… really bad, and um… I didn't mean it, but it just came out, and it was because I really wanted to hurt her feelings. I need you to call your parents, next time you go to the phone area in Hogsmead, and tell them that I think that they were right. I need a physiatrist. I also need to speak to Dumbledore now too. Um. I feel awful." Harry said. Hermione looked at him in sincere surprise.

"Is it that bad Harry? Is it about You-Know-Who?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded.

"Some of it. I don't know, but lately I've been angry all the time. Just filled with a rage, and I… really hurt Cho this morning." Harry said. Hermione looked at him blankly.

"What did you say to her Harry?" she asked. Harry buried her head in shame.

"I… don't want to repeat it ever again." He said, embarrassed. Hermione leaned in very close to him.

"Harry just whisper it to me one more time, and you don't have to say it again, but I have to know." Hermione said. Harry leaned into her ear, and whispered the word which caused her to pop back in astonishment.

"**What! Harry are you stupid, what were you thinking? Why would you call her that? Cho's a nice person! How could you do that?"** Hermione demanded.

"I don't know, I don't know what's wrong with me. I never wanted to hurt her, but… I don't know. I think that I'm going crazy. Oh god Hermione, I'd give anything in the world to be able to take it back. I don't even know what to say to her when I see her again." Harry said, almost in tears. Hermione propped up her head with one hand, a look of shock on her face.

"Harry… _this is bad._" She said in all seriousness.

"That's not all Hermione. I have dreams, about hurting people. Like Miggins. It was after the real event occurred, but… it was so real. And I had another dream about hurting…" Harry started to continue, but Hermione jabbed him in the ribs to indicate that he should look up. Luna Lovegood and two other Ravenclaw girls were standing in front of him, angry looks on their faces. The first time that he had ever seen an angry look on Luna's face in his life. The three of them just stared at him angrily in silence. Finally Luna spoke up.

"Harry, did you say _it_ to Cho this morning? Did you call her… _that_?" Luna asked, hoping that it wasn't true. Harry looked up at Luna with watery eyes.

"Luna I didn't mean it! I'm sorry…" Harry began. The hand grabbed Seamus' goblet and sent punch flying all over Harry's face, and robes.

"**Hey!"** Seamus shouted annoyed.

When he wiped off his glasses it was Luna that held the goblet in her hand.

"**I can't believe you Harry. Why would you do that!"** Luna shouted, drawing the attention of all of the students around Harry.

"I'm so sorry Luna, I didn't mean too we were fighting, and I just…"

"**What were you fighting about, that you would call her _that_ Harry?"** Luna demanded.

"Well… she was trying to tell me that… she was no longer friends with Marietta, but I didn't believe her, because I saw Marietta leaving her party laughing, with those society people, we got to shouting at each other, and it just came out. _I'm so sorry._" Harry pleaded. Tears started to fall from Luna's eyes, and it looked like the other Ravenclaw girls wanted to jump over the table at him. Other students looked on with interest.

"**God Harry you fucking idiot! Cho and Marietta are enemies now, and Marietta and her gang left happy because they had made Cho cry, with the letter from her father!" Luna shouted. **

"What letter?" Harry asked blankly.

"**The letter saying that her mum had her other breast removed because of the cancer that… gasp!" **Luna put her hands to her mouth too late as Harry had done before. And as before… to late to stop the words. Everything went quite for a moment. It was a moment that seemed to hang in the air forever. Harry looked around at everyone, the two girls beside Luan turned to look at her with disbelief, and Hermione covered her face in pity for everyone involved. Luna stood there as if frozen in fear of a curse of her own words, and Harry was sure that this was the worst of his nightmares to date. Finally through a river of tears he looked at Luna again.

"**Her mother what?" **Harry asked. Luna stood in place shaking in fear, as if a giant troll were in front of her.

"Nothing." She mouthed, but it was too late. The other two Ravenclaw girls forgot about Harry as tears fell from their eyes, and they slowly, walked back to their table. Hermione started crying, and Luna just stood there… in shock from her own action. She looked down at Harry.

"I've had people bugging me about the letter all morning. Offering me chocolates, wizarding cards, everything. I wasn't going to tell anyone. I wouldn't have done it for all the money in the world. It was a secret that Cho only shared with me. She trusted me not to say anything." Luna looked back to the Ravenclaw table; the sounds of crying had started up already. She then looked at the Gryffindor table, and enough people were close enough to hear her shout that deep conversation was going on there as well. "Shit." Luna said quietly. She turned to leave and bumped into Professor Flitwick who demanded to know what was going on. She looked down at him. "I'm sorry Professor. I'm very sorry." Luna said. She walked out of the Great Hall passing other Ravenclaws, and some Gryffindors that asked her if it was true about Cho's mum. She said not a word, but proceeded to the girls bathroom to hide, and cry on a toilet. Ashamed at her unintentional betrayal of Cho's secrete. Harry turned his gaze to the masters table. As usual Dumbledore was missing, so he panned across to look at Professor McGonagall. Later, I have to talk to her. Harry thought. Harry walked in a daze to the room of requirement, his head throbbing like mad, his vision blocked by tears that flowed unendingly. Upon entering it a bed sat in the middle of the room, with feather pillows. Harry immediately threw himself onto it and began sobbing uncontrollably, trying to use the pillow to muffle his howling agonizing screams. _Poor Cho. Why, oh why didn't you tell me? I want to help you. I want to make things better, but I only made them worse. _After a long cry that exhausted him, Harry sat up. _**I will fix this Cho.** I will make things better. I promise. I will prove to you that I'm sincere, and I'll never… ever… doubt you again. I only hope that you'll take pity on me, and forgive me. I'm so sorry._ Harry thought to himself, as he silently made the vow.

**That afternoon, an empty classroom: **

There was nothing, but talk of the contents of the letter outside in the corridors, amongst the students. Marietta and Seamus were the only occupants in the classroom. Marietta paced the floor, as Seamus sat back casually in a chair with a backrest.

"Well the secretes out. But I'm a bit worried. I had readjusted my plan to have her go against Potter after she returned, and now I'm going to have to adjust my plans again, now that he's not going to be something that she'll desire to return too. Who knew that Potter would be his own worst enemy? Where did he hear that word from? Did you say it to him?" Marietta asked Seamus.

"No, I've no idea where he heard it, or what would cause him to say that to her. But he was raised by muggles, so it makes since that it would be a word familiar to him, on some level. Of coarse I never figured him to be one to use it, but… you never know. Do you want me to become him tonight, so that I can probe his mind?" Seamus asked. Marietta rubbed her chin for a moment in thought. Finally she turned to Seamus.

"No. I want you to become Cho tonight. Get into her mind, and find out about… very personal moments with her and Cedric Diggory. Things that only the two of them would know. Spend as much time as you can in her head tonight, and write everything down when you're done, so that you don't forget. After tonight we stop concentration on Cho for a time, and go after our two primary targets… Dumbledore and Potter." Marietta said with an evil grin. Seamus looked at her.

"It was certainly a lucky break Potter saying what he did. Now much the school will be against him." Seamus said smiling himself. Marietta scoffed.

"A drop in the ocean my dear. They are only students, but when Potter gets blamed for the death of Padma, than it shall send shockwaves all over the magic world. Either Dumbledore will have to remove Potter from the school, or parents, and the Ministry will force him out, and then my love, with Potter gone. We can take on the Headmaster together." Marietta smiled. Seamus walked behind Marietta and put his arms around her. He kissed her gently on the neck.

"Not too soon my dear Marietta. I still need more time if I am to be ready. But it won't be so long either." Seamus smiled.

"Don't worry my love. Thanks to Mr. Potter. _Time… is on our side. _Unfortunately, due to my recent unpopularity from the incident at the party, I have to take myself out of the loop for a time. Someone's bound to come across the body eventually, and we'll only have to let things take their natural course." Marietta said. Seamus turned her to face him, and looked seriously at her.

"There is of course a problem. I don' think that when Dumbledore sees Potter kill Padma, with that ability he has to recreate the event that he will let anyone else know about it. I mean, I've been into his head, and his loyalty to Potter is without measure. He simply is incapable of believing that he could ever do such a thing. Believes him to be infallible on that level. He'll just say that Potter was impersonated by someone, or not mention it to anyone." Seamus continued.

"We don't have to worry about what he thinks… I never counted on getting the Head Master to believe Potter was crazy, but he can't just not say anything when a student eventually turns up dead. And if he uses the spell he did in the library, with the other Masters around, than they will see that it actually was Potter who did it. It will cast some doubt in their minds, even if they do believe that he's innocent. Besides… the Ministry may send someone of their own to investigate, and use that same spell, maybe even one of our own plants in the Ministry. And we can depend on them to spread the word about Potter." Marietta explained.

"Brilliant plan Marietta. I didn't think about having a Ministry person coming to investigate. Do you think it may be your mum?" Seamus asked.

"No, that's not mum's department. It will be someone else, I don't know whom. But even if it's not one of ours, they won't be able to deny the evidence right in front of them… _when they see Potter murder poor Padma Patel in cold blood." _Marietta finished. Seamus caressed her cheek softly.

"Your such a wicked witch." He said playfully.

"Yes, I know… I'm such a bad girl." She said in a sensual tone, as the two drew closer into an intimate embrace.

**That Night, Cho's Dorm Room, Ravenclaw Tower:**

Outside Beverly, Nancy, and Erica kept people who had come to offer Cho their sympathy, and well wishers out of their dorm room, so that Cho could have some time to herself. She hadn't been left alone since a bunch of people had first come up hugging her, and telling her how sorry that they were for her. Cho had been shocked to find out about Luna's betrayal, and had run to the dorm room to confront her afterwards. Luna apologized to her profusely, and said that it just slipped out in an argument that she had had with Harry. It wasn't enough, and Cho said that she never wanted to talk to Luna again, that she couldn't trust her. After Cho's roommates had said how sorry they were to hear about what had happened to her mum, they asked Cho if there was anything that they could do for her. Cho nodded, and asked if she could have some alone time, and if they would ask everyone to leave her alone, especially Luna.

Cho lay in her bed, looking up at the miniature night sky that she had bewitched the top of her four post bed to look like. She made not a sound, but reflected upon the past two days events. Cho felt betrayed by everyone in the world, the people who were closest to her, the people who were supposed to be their for her, the ones she always knew that she could count on. She was mad at the world now, so much so that it tied her stomach in knots, and caused her to have bad stomach cramps.

Her own father had done something so horrible to her by sending her the letter. _That's not something that you're supposed to find out about by letter you heatless bastard! You should have come up here and told me face to face. How can you ask me to be here, when mum is so sick, how could you not tell me in person, how can you think that this is the way that it should be. I'm not supposed to be here right now. I'm supposed to be with mum, and you're not ever supposed to just send a letter like that. I've done everything that you've asked. I've kept it all in, and haven't told hardly anyone. I'm stuck here cut off from my entire family, and it's not fair. I shouldn't have to go through this by myself. I wanted to talk to Professor Flitwick, about it to get some type of guidance, but I didn't, and then you send me this letter father. Yes you were sympathetic, but a letter will not make up for the fact that you're not here, telling me in person. How could it not be important enough to tell me like that? I know that you cannot apparate at Hogwarts, but you could have easily done it at Hogsmead, and walked here. How hard would it have been? I'm your daughter, your only child; couldn't you have just done that for me?_ Cho silently screamed in her head. Cho wished that she was a muggle just then with a phone that she could use to call her Uncle's home, and yell all of this to her dad, to express her rage, at the insult of getting a letter to hear about the condition of her mother. _A phone, a phone, oh god why can't we have phones in the wizarding world?_ She thought.

But her father's betrayal was only one of many over the last two days. Next she thought about her _friend_ Luna Lovegood. Luna, whom had been like a little sister to her, whom she had taken under her wing, and kept Marietta and Danielle from picking on her. Luna had told everyone the secrete that Cho had told only her in complete confidence. Luna, who had sworn never to tell anyone else, and yet from what Cho had heard, she had blurted it out in front of the whole school. _How could she be so cruel? I trusted you above all others. I knew that you were the most honest person that I know, and you hurt me like this? Why? No, I don't care why… I just know that I cannot trust anyone anymore. Not dad, not you, not even… Harry. Harry Potter. I love you. I wish that I didn't… I wish that I had never met you. I wanted to be friends, no more, but would have settled for friendship. But… you…"_ Cho's mind went blank. She raised her wand, and quietly said a jinx that caused the mirage of the night sky to be replaces by a mirror. Cho looked into it and remembered what Harry had said.

"You're like a human hosepipe, and I'm tired of it. **Fuck you, you stupid Chink bitch!" **Harry had said coldly. Cho looked over her features, her dark skin, the shape of her eyes, nose, sometimes it had been very hard growing up in Hogwarts School. There were very few ethnic Asians at any given time. She had been good friends with Jill Tanaka, but she really didn't know of any others except a boy that had just been sorted this last year, who she really didn't know. There were the Indians, who were supposed to be ethnically Asian, but she didn't look like any of them. She now really didn't look like any of the student in the school, and sometimes it made her feel out of place, not that that was a new experience to her. As far as she knew, she and her family had been the only Chinese family in all of Scotland. It wasn't like it was with her cousins in London, where there were a significant number of Non-Indian Asians in their Muggle School. But then England tended to be a bit more diverse than Scotland. Still because people had been so nice to her, and she was fortunate enough to have so many friends, sometimes she forgot that she looked so… different. Even the racist taunts of Marietta's gang had their limitations of how much they could hurt her. But when Harry had called her a chink out of the blue, when he had showed her that he looked at her differently, it had crushed her. Marietta and her gang meant nothing to Cho, they were school bullies, and Cho had come to expect it. But Harry had really hurt her. She didn't want to look different to him; she didn't want to look unattractive to him. But it was clear that that's what he thought of her. He thought of her as different, not like the other girls whom there were more the norm. _More normal._ Indians, blacks, whites, there were a lot of them in school. But Cho was the only ethnically Chinese girl, and only Asian girl in general in school now, and that wasn't normal. And that's what Harry wanted… _someone normal. _Cho got out of bed and walked over to the dresser with the large mirror, and sat down in the chair. She pulled out a drawer, and scavenged through the makeup, and eyeliner, until she found what she was looking for. It was Nancy's skin lightening cream. Nancy had bought it to lighten her freckles. Cho poured some into her hands and started rubbing it onto her face. She didn't want to be abnormal. She wanted to look like everyone else; she wanted Harry to look at her as he would anyone else. After all, look at the girls that he seemed to like; Hermione Granger, Fiona Burrows. _They are lighter than me. _Cho thought sadly, as she continued to rub the cream into her skin.

The door to her room finally opened, and Beverly walked in, and knelt down next to Cho.

"Cho… I, we really wish that you would talk to us about it. Please." Beverly pleaded.

"I can't Beverly, just… I'll be okay. Just please, I'm not able to talk about it. I can't explain it to you." Cho said sadly, still rubbing the lotion onto her. Beverly nodded reluctantly.

"Luan's outside. I know that your mad at her, and that this was some big secrete that you two had. But she feels awful, and she's really sorry for what she did. It was an accident, and she's crying about it for the past two hours. Cho maybe you should just talk to her." Beverly said.

"I don't want to talk to her about it. I don't want to see her. I'm still very mad at her. In my family we don't talk about family problems to other people, because it's no one's business who's not in the family. I could only confide in one person, to keep my sanity, and it was her. Now she's betrayed that trust. So I don't want to talk to anyone. I've just had the worst two years of my life, and I want to go home now, and just forget, about everything else." Cho said quietly.

"I understand Cho. It's been hell on you, I… what are you doing with Nancy's lotion." Beverly asked. Cho stopped what she was doing, and turned to Beverly.

"Well, I need to lighten my skin. I'm too dark. I just wanted to look more… normal. Harry only likes…" Cho started.

"Oh god Cho, don't tell me that you're doing that for Harry Potter! That stupid, racist git doesn't deserve to have you even look at him. Stop trying to be yourself, and just be happy with who you are. Who care's about what he wants. Maybe you haven't noticed, but all your friends are just fine with the way that you look, and so are the long list of guys that would love to have the privilege of going out with you. There is nothing wrong with the way that you look, there's only something wrong with Harry Potter, and other racist like him. Just forget about him. He's a bad guy Cho, I know he is. Just please I'm asking you as a friend forget about him. Cho, please." Beverly pleaded. Cho lowered her eyes to the bottle of cream that she held in her hands, and then back to Beverly.

"Your right, I'm sorry. I… he doesn't even like me. The funny thing is that he accused me of being a racist." Cho started to chuckle, but it turned to a cry as she put her head on Beverly's shoulder.

"I thought… I thought that I had run out of tears… I haven't…sob… cried all day. I wanted him to like me Beverly… I wanted him to like me so much… sob." Cho cried. Beverly patted her on the back.

"I know you did Cho. I don't know why, but I know you did." Beverly said. "Cho, is there anything that I can do for you, Nancy, Erica, and I… we want to help." Beverly continued with some tears of her own forming.

"Yes, I've already had my going away party… and…" Cho started.

"It's it wasn't much of a party." Beverly cut her off.

"It was before Marietta, and um. Well, when I leave on Saturday. I don't want a big crowd. I just want to go quietly from here. Can you help arrange for people not to be there?" Cho asked. Beverly nodded.

"I promise, I'll talk to Professor Flitwick about it. I still wish that you would change your mind about leaving permanently. We're all going to miss you." Beverly cried.

"I'm going to miss all of you too. But, I just don't belong here, I can't stay. In fact. I'm not going to class anymore. I'm going to turn my wand into Professor Flitwick tomorrow. Then just wait until the Hogwart's express leaves on Saturday." Cho said sadly. Beverly looked around the room, and then back at Cho.

"You will miss this place… but not as much as it will miss you." Beverly said with no emotion.

"I will, everything, the Great Hall, classes, the Quidditch pitch, the library, the teachers. Everything. But most of all, the people I've had the privilege of meeting here. I will miss everything." Cho finished. She excused herself for bed. Beverly left the room, to go and talk to her other roommates and friends about what had happened. Cho lay in bed, trying to sleep, and reflecting on the one thing that she would miss most off all about Hogwarts when she left. A boy with emerald green eyes, and messy black hair, that could never love her, because Beverly had been right. There was nothing wrong with the way that she looked, and if Harry Potter couldn't accept that, then that was his problem. Because Cho wasn't going to change herself for him. She would have Stephanie Burt return her hair to its natural Raven black color again tomorrow, if she would agree not to ask about her situation at home. But still, it was Harry Potter that she was thinking of when she drifted off to sleep. He would still be what she missed the most. And across the castle through tear-filled eyes, it was Harry Potter that thought about Cho. She was the one thing that he missed right now most, and it only hurt more when Hermione talking to him about Cho leaving for good. Harry's sleep that night would be restless from torment, and guilt of worrying about Cho. He would go to her tomorrow; _I will fix it, somehow, I will fix it._ He thought, as he drifted off to an unhappy sleep.


	50. Chapter 50

liam the luton lion: Thanks for the review:) , but was that a good wow, or a bad one?

Froggie2: Your one of the most positive people I've ever met, both virtually, and in reality. Total opposite of myself, but I'm glad for you. I'll try not to disappoint you, but it's going to be a bit more before they get together. I'll do my best to write it well. Thanks for posting:)

1lightningbolt: Tragedy, and heart break, but maybe if she can hang in there she might be able to get through it. Thanks for posting :)

T-person: Thanks for the Go Cho! Well Harry kind of found that out last chapter, but now he needs to do something about it. As for finding out about Marietta, well he'll have problems of his own coming up soon.

timothy4111: Thanks for posting:) Well actually the reason that no one has found the room yet is simply because it wasn't convenient for the story. I did put that it was a room that no one usually went into, one used for storage. Also the students were sent to that part of the castle, so the house elves had their own assignments, and I thought that although there were many house elves that there were not enough to search the entire castle in a few weeks, plus there are only about six ghost, that actually work for the school, so even though they can go through walls they can't cover the castle in that short of time, also they can't smell the body. Harry, Cho, Nancy, and Hermione were the people who have come closets so far to the location of the body. But the body will be found soon enough.

Well because Cho is leaving forever, (she thinks anyway) she will forgive him. But that doesn't mean that she will forget, or won't hurt from it anymore. Harry does deserve to get his arse kicked for saying that, but due to time constraints for the story he'll get a reprieve. But he's gonna have to work hard to make it up to Cho.

Hello everyone, sorry it took so long to get this up, but I've been going through a training class to work at the airport, at the X-ray machine. Well, it's a little long, but it's been cut down from about half of what I had intended. Anyway not much action, but I tried to hit the plot points. Anyway I once saw a movie when I was younger called Ernest goes to Camp on a video tape. It had a song on it that sort of describes how Cho feels in this. I posted part of the lyrics at that bottom. I'm kind of rusty I think, so this chapter won't be very good, but uh, hope you like it anyway.

**Chapter 50: Final Goodbyes**

Harry kept his eyes on the entrance to the great Hall, trying not to blink least he miss her entrance. It was the third day since he had made the comment to Cho, and it would be his third attempt to try and talk to her, by getting past her friends at the Ravenclaw table. Over the past two days he had already received numerous threats from Jeremy Stretton, and the other members of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, to leave her alone, or he would get his head smashed in. It also appeared that Cho didn't want to talk to him either. She looked away from him whenever he shouted to get her attention, and she only entered the great hall to grab a plate of food, and then leave, most probably back to Ravenclaw tower. Harry would always try to run up and chat with her, but several angry looking Ravenclaws would always block his way. The Huffelpuff girl was right. He had suddenly become somewhat unpopular, not just with the Ravenclaws, but some students from the other houses as well. But he didn't care what anyone but Cho thought of him. No, that wasn't true. He didn't want to be thought of as a racist to anyone either, but Cho's view was the most important. She had really been the one deeply hurt by his remarks, and he owed her more than a simple apology.

But Harry had taken steps to get help for his violent outburst. Hermione had joined him when he went to speak to Professor McGonagall, and the long talk that the three of them had had was a good first step. Professor McGonagall agreed to allow Harry to see a Muggle psychiatrist when one that was apparate to bring to Hogwarts could be found. As acting Head Master she had that right. McGonagall hadn't been to keen on the idea of Harry using science from the muggle world to solve his problems when cheering charms were available, but Harry was insistent on a more permanent solution, so McGonagall finally relented.

She also informed Harry of the death of Bellatrix Lestrange, and the large scale battle that Dumbledore had had with some dementors and a couple of giants. For a great Wizard like Dumbledore the dementors were easy to handle, but even _his _stunning spells were not able to defeat the Giants, and every attempt to use limited force had failed. Dumbledore's constant hesitation had cost a fellow Wizard his life, and he and the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix had to finally blast them with the Aver cadaver curse. In fact Dumbledore himself had been wounded slightly in the battle by Bellatrix Lestrange, who had brought down a house on top of him, she had walked over to step on the roof of the remains of what she thought was Dumbledore's tomb, to boast to her fellow dark side allies, but Dumbledore had used a shielding charm to keep himself from being hit by most of the debris, and blasted the collapsed roof of the house out from under her, causing her to fly several feet to the side, landing in a loud thud. After Dumbledore had raised the roof of the ground with a levitation charm he used his wand to throw the collapsed collection of wood, and stone, large and small onto Bellatrix herself, giving her his own intended fate. After the battle and being patched up, he had returned to Hogsmead in the night by apperating, and walked to Hogwarts, to his office to make some reports, and manage some paperwork, then as soon as he was done had to leave again, back to Eastern Europe.

Harry was a bit shocked by the news of Bellatrix's death, he had wanted a personal revenge of his very own, but it was taken away from him. Still he was not unhappy with Dumbledore for it. It was actually the nicest thing that the head Master had done for him in a while. Besides there was always Voldermort and Wormtail for him.

The one thing that did bother Harry was that he had thought of asking for information on his inheritance while he was with Professor McGonagall, and she said that she didn't have any information on it. Harry was having a hard time believing her, as she couldn't seem to look at him when she had said it, and she excused herself rather curtly soon there after. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he was sure it was yet another attempt to keep things from him.

That was two days ago, and besides that incident and classes, he spent every moment looking for an opportunity to talk to Cho alone. He searched in the Potions class that she had been working in those nights, but she didn't come, and the only occupant of the room in fact was Barney Crouch's former house elf, Pinky. In fact she had not only seemed to stop going out at night, and after school, but to his emotional torment he had found that Cho had already turned in her wand, and was only awaiting the Hogwarts Express, which had arrived this very morning. Harry had even cried on Fiona's shoulder but not been honest about why, claiming that he was upset about the death of his godfather instead. She had been very nice to him, but it was really Cho whose arms that he wanted to be in. He was sure that that was not as much of a probability as it might have been before he made such a stupid, racist statement, to her. Also Harry was feeling guilty about going off on Cho, when she must be worried about her mum dying. _He had said that he had wanted to trade places with Cho, that her problems were nothing when compared to his, now so many of his seemed to pale in comparison to Cho's. _

Collin Creevey had mentioned about an aunt of his that had gone through breast cancer, and had a breast removed. He spoke of words that he himself barley understood, like chemo therapy, and radiation treatment, saying that he didn't know what they were, just that they were really painful ways to try and fix her. In the end however, they didn't save her, and she died. Collin had added that from what his family had told him, it was not a painless death, and not by any means quick. This added to Harry's guilt.

Hermione walked up and sat down next to Harry.

"Harry how are you today?" she asked. Harry looked down at his empty plate, breakfast had not been fixed by the house elves yet. He gave a large sigh before answering.

"I'm miserable Hermione. I haven't been able to speak to her at all. Every time I try to approach her I'm blocked by other students who are pissed at me, and not all of them Ravenclaws. I just want to tell her that I'm sorry, and I just… but she doesn't want to speak to me anymore. I tried but she avoids me now. I spend all my time that I can outside the Ravenclaw tower now looking for the secret entrance, but to no avail. I even used my invisibility cloak to try and see someone entering, but I never did. I was there all day today, waiting without the cloak, hoping that people would tell her that I was outside and wanted to talk. But finally Beverly Jones, one of Cho's friends, told me that Cho wanted me to leave her alone. But I can't let it be so unresolved. I have to apologize to her. I feel so bad about calling her _that_, and so bad about suspecting her of going against me. I should have known that it wasn't true." Harry finished unhappily. Hermione looked at him curiously for a moment before she spoke.

"Harry, I've been meaning to ask where you first heard that word. I mean I heard it on telly in a movie. But it's a word that I would never use. What context did you hear it in?" Hermione asked. Harry lowered his head.

"I heard my Uncle use it. He sales drills you know. Well basically he was talking to my aunt Petunia about one of his employees who was able to secure him a very juicy oversees contract with an American company, and she thought that he should invite him to dinner if he was that good. My uncle said, and I quote:

"Not bloody likely, the mans a… well _that_ word. That's when she agreed and said that he was right not to bring him home. It was the first time I had heard the word, and my cousin Dudley had asked what it meant. Uncle Vernon told him, and he was saying it next week in school forever to anyone Asian." Harry said in monotone. Hermione listened intently.

"And why did you say it Harry?" Hermione asked point blank. Harry gave a sad sigh.

"Because I wanted to hurt her then. I wanted to really hurt her. I don't know why. I've just been getting angry a lot since last year. I just, I don't know why. I just have almost fits of rage. So much has been going on, and I just blow up, it's like…" Harry started to finish but was cut off.

"There's Cho Harry, now's your chance!" Hermione said suddenly. Harry looked up to see Cho putting food on a plate in a hurry. Several students tried to speak with her, but she politely told them that she could not talk about what they wanted to know about. Harry got up and started to walk over towards Cho. By the time he had gotten close to her, dinner started to magically appear on the tables, and she had already filled her plate, and looked ready to head out. Harry rushed more quickly down the length of the Ravenclaw table, and was almost on her, when Jeremy Stretton and another Ravenclaw Quidditch team member named Ingleby stepped out in front of him to block his way, an annoyed look on their faces.

"**Hey, where do you think your going Potter?"** Stretton demanded. Harry tried to push past them, but they collectively held him back.

"Let me though Stretton, I just want to say that I'm sorry. I need to apologize to her." Harry said in a forceful tone.

"Forget it Potter, she doesn't want to talk, not to you or anyone else. I head what you said to her, and quite frankly she doesn't want to here it. She just wants to be left alone. If you want to apologize, send her an owl." Stretton said. Harry continued to attempt through Stretton and his mate, as he saw Cho exit the Great Hall, but the two weren't letting him go anywhere.

"Let me through, it'll be too late to send her an Owl. I have to say that I'm sorry in person. She's supposed to be leaving tomorrow. I can't let it end like this, with her thinking that I'm a racist. " Harry demanded.

"Well aren't you Potter?" Inglby inquired hotly.

"**No! **I said something incredibly stupid, and I'm sorry, but I didn't mean it. So I need to tell her that." Harry said angrily.

"True Potter, and if you weren't trying to apologize to her for it. I'd be using you to mop up the floor, but get this anyway… she doesn't want to talk. So just send her an owl, but otherwise leave her alone. She doesn't want to talk right now." Stretton said hotly, but finally stepped out of Harry's way. Harry ran at full speed out into the corridor that led out of the Great Hall.

"**Cho! Cho!"** He called looking around at both ends of the corridor. He spotted a black haired girl walking away from him and ran over to her grabbing her shoulder, and turning her around.

"Listen Cho, I…" Harry started, but when he turned the surprised girl around, it wasn't Cho, she wasn't even Asian. "Err… sorry wrong person." He said. The girl knocked his hand away, and started off down the hall again. Harry slid down against the wall, until he was sitting down. He put him arms over his knees, and buried his head down, a dark depression setting in, as he thought of how stupid he was for missing his chance to talk to her again. It was only a moment before he realized that someone was crying close bye. Harry raised his head, and looked up at a sign over a door that read girls lavatory. The crying was coming from inside there, and it wasn't the bathroom that moaning Myrtle haunted. The crying was defiantly coming from in there. **_Cho!_** He thought. Harry got up again and rushed toward the door. Harry pushed the door open and walked inside. "Cho? Are you okay?" Harry asked unsure. He walked into the area with the stalls, to the front of the one that the crying was coming from. He grabbed the door to open it, but the bolt was locked, and all he could do was rattle it. "Cho, open up. Please I need to talk to you. I'm sorry for what I said. Please open up." Harry begged.

"It's not Cho, Harry," came a familiar voice. Harry heard the latch open and the door swung to reveal a tearful Luna Lovegood. She stood up from the toilet that she sat on, and hugged him.

"Luna?" Harry asked surprised. Luna looked up at him, her face distraught.

"Harry, Cho won't even talk to me anymore. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. I begged her forgiveness, but… but she won't even talk to me. She doesn't even yell at, or insult to me… just doesn't acknowledge me at all. She's like a sister to me, but I betrayed her trust. I didn't mean too. Now she's leaving, and I may never see her again. I don't want it to end like this; we can't part on these terms." Luna cried her head on Harry's shoulder. Harry hugged her back.

"I know exactly how you feel Luna. I said something stupid to her. She won't talk to me either. I'd give the world to take it back. Every time I try to talk to her, people at her table stop me." Harry said sadly.

"She really likes you Harry. She talks about you all the time. She _did_, but she barley talks anymore. Tomorrow, she's gone from here forever, I…" Luna started, but couldn't finish as tears fell from her eyes. Harry and Luna cried for a time in each others arms until a Slytheren girl, Pansy Parkinson walked in on them.

"**Hey what are you doing here? This is the girl's lavatory!" **she shouted angry. Harry and Luna released their embrace, and walked past Pansy. "No shagging in here people, we have to use this facility!" Pansy said after them angrily. In the hall they both sat on the ground in states of depression. A brief time passed before Harry spoke again. He turned to Luna.

"Did… did she really turn in her wand?" Harry asked. Luna nodded her head.

"Professor Flitwick was very surprised, but he's not trying to convince her to stay, not with her mum… you know." Luna said quietly.

"Tell me Luna… tell me about her mum, what's happening. What's the whole story? I need to know." Harry pleaded. Luna looked at him with a sad face.

"I can't tell you that Harry. Cho trusted in me not to say anything, and I screwed up. I know you think now that she's not speaking to me that I'm not under any obligation to say anymore, but… I actually am. Cho will have to tell you when she's ready. If she never does… then that's just the way it was meant to be. Oh, I'm sorry about throwing the punch in your face the other day." Luna finished. Harry gave a sad chuckle.

"Ha! Don't be… I deserved it. I will miss her." Harry said sadly. Luna nodded.

"Me too. She's one of my only friends. Now she hates me…" Luna finished, wiping her eyes. Harry gave her another hug.

"She can't hate you Luna, maybe she just needs time." Harry comforted her. The two sat there in silence as students passed to and fro, not caring about anything else, but reflecting on Cho's past kindness to them. Luna on how Cho stood up for her against Marietta and Harry how she stood up for him last year from the beginning. Tomorrow would be a truly sad day for the two of them.

**Saturday, Ravenclaw Tower, Cho's dorm Room: **

Cho stood up on a chair and looked outside her window at the students playing outside by the lake. People were laughing, swimming, and enjoying themselves. Cho remembered when she was one of the people down by the lake, Times when she was happy, the fun that she used to have playing down by the water, or just chatting with friends, or even just reading a book under the shade of a nice tree in the open air. She would never be able to do that here again. This was her last day at Hogwarts, and she missed the school already. But she noticed something odd. There didn't seem to be a lot of Ravenclaw students that she could see from the window. Perhaps they were eating in the Great Hall. She didn't know. A single tear fell from her eye. She would miss everything, this was her home for so long, filled with her friends, and now she would never see it again. Cho stepped down from the window, and started putting the last of her things in the steamer trunk on her bed. When she was done, she closed the lid. She heard a cooing behind her and turned to see the Owl that Luna had given her for her birthday. Cho looked at the owl unsure of what to do with it. It was the last gift that Luna would ever give her. After she left she would never speak to her again, she couldn't after such a betrayal. She had been hurt too much, and Luna had practically screamed it out to the entire school. How could she forgive her now? Luna was the only one that Cho had trusted with the secrete. _How do you just let something like that slip?_ She asked herself. _Luna may be hurting, but so am I. I'm losing her as a friend too. It sucks that it has to end like this. I'm too mad at her to forgive her now. I need… time. I need time. _Cho thought. The door to the dorm room opened, and Beverly walked in flanked by Nancy, and Erica, each wearing solemn faces. Beverly managed a weak smile.

"Ready Cho?" she asked. Cho nodded, picking up her steamer trunk, and walking to the door. Nancy looked over at the owl in the cage.

"Do you want me to get the owl Cho?" she asked. Cho looked at it again for a moment, wondering if she should keep it to remember Luna by. _No. I have photos of us hanging out together for that. _She thought.

"No… leave it. Give it back to Luna later." Cho said.

"You… you know Cho… she really is sorry. She feels really bad about it." Erica said softly. Cho nodded.

"Yea, I know… I feel bad about it too. Give it back to her later." Cho finished, and walked out the door, with her three friends following her. When she rounded the corner of the spiraling staircase she found the common room full of Ravenclaw students. Cho looked up at Beverly.

"You said that I could get out of here quietly today Beverly." Cho said in a whisper. Beverly shrugged her shoulders.

"You didn't really think that they would let you leave without saying goodbye did you Cho." Beverly said with a smile. Cho made her way to the center of the room, and the students came up to hug her, one by one. Some crying, some wishing her well, and some reminding her to write to them every chance that she got. Each of them telling her how sorry they were about her mother. It was very embarrassing for her, but she was polite, and sincerely appreciative of their **_good intentions_**. A few of them asked for more information about her mum, how she was doing, and what the specifics were, but Cho politely told them that she couldn't discuss it. After saying her goodbyes Cho started towards the exit of the Ravenclaw common room and she saw Danielle giving her a distasteful look, but with Cho's friends all around, she didn't dare do, or say anything to Cho. Marietta was conspicuously absent, but that was nothing to complain about.

Cho and her roommates left the Ravenclaw Tower, and headed down the corridor towards the Great Hall so that Cho could pack one last lunch for her last trip on the Hogwarts Express. There were not that many students in the Great Hall yet, although some were coming in now because the weather was getting cloudy, and it appeared that it might rain. Cho sat down at the table for a minute, and waited until the plate in front of her magically filled with food. Fortunately the meal was beef sausage patties, and biscuits, so after putting the patties between the two biscuit halves, it was easy for Cho to put it in her brown paper bag for the trip. Cho also produced a thermos and filled it with hot tea. A few apples added to the bag and she was ready to go.

The trio made their way to the main exit of the great hall, and continued on toward the doors that lead down the path to the Hogwarts Express. At the closed exit door Luna Lovegood waited for Cho. Cho stopped and waited for her to move aside and let her through. Luna's eyes were full of tears as she looked pleadingly at Cho. Cho on the other hand had a look of anger in her eyes, and her hands tightened on her steamer trunk handle, and the brown bag lunch that she carried.

"Cho… please forgive me… I didn't mean to say anything. I know that you feel I betrayed your trust, but… I didn't _mean_ too. I feel so bad about it. It was a mistake. I'll never do it again. Cho… you're like a big sister to me. I don't want it to be like this. I hate that I let you down, but it won't happen again. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me Cho." Luna pleaded through tear filled eyes. Beverly, Nancy, and Erica all looked down sadly. They had already told Cho that she should forgive Luna, and that it was just a mistake, but Cho was still mad at her, the event still very fresh in her mind, and the damage still done. Cho just stared at Luna, looking like she wanted to hit her in the head, but she said not a word. For several moments everyone was silent, Cho and Luna just staring at each other. Finally Luna could take Cho's angry stair no more. "Cho, please… we've been friends for so long. You've always been there for me, please speak to me." Luna continued to plead. Cho just stood their looking at her with her brown dagger eyes. "Please Cho, say something to me, ca… call me a git for telling everyone your secrete, hit me, or call me a bitch, but just please say anything to me." Luna begged. Cho's breathing was heavy but controlled.

"Get out of my way Luna." She said coldly. Luna looked as if someone had stabbed her in the heart, and she walked off down the corridor sobbing uncontrollable. Cho turned back to her roommates with a look of sadness on her face, but no tears fell from her eyes. "Erica, Nancy if ya don't mind I'll say my goodbye here. I need to talk to Beverly alone. I'll miss you both. You've been the best of… choke… friends. I'm going to miss you all. It was really great to be away from Marietta and Danielle and have caring, excepting people to stay with." She finished. Cho, Nancy, and Erica Hugged in a tight embrace, each of them now were crying as the emotions weald up inside them.

"Cho, you listen to me… we expect you to keep in touch… don't go off and just disappear off the face of the earth. I expect a letter every week." Nancy cried.

"Me, too Cho, and a detailed one at that. You let us know how you're doing, and let us know that you're alright." Erica cried.

"I promise. I promise I'll write. You two take care of yourselves, I'm going to miss you both sooo much." Cho replied. The three girls released there embrace, and said goodbye once more. Cho turned back to Beverly. "Let's go Beverly. I need to talk to you on the way down to the platform." Cho said. Beverly nodded. But for a time Cho said nothing, she just walked in silence, seemingly in deep thought. When they were half way down she stopped and turned back toward the castle. Cho looked over the structure, one last glance at a place she had spent a great deal of her life at. For a long moment she was fixed on it, remembering all the things that had happened to her, good and bad, and all the things that she had done in the school. The fun that she had had in Charms classes, conversations with friends in the great hall at dinner, being with Cedric at the Yule Ball, DA classes with Harry, and just being with friends in her common room. A lifetime of memories at this magical place, and now she was leavening, and she would never see Hogwarts again. Beverly came up and hugged her from behind and also gazed up at the castle.

"I meant what I said Cho. Hogwarts will miss you, not just the students or that masters, but the very walls themselves." Beverly said with tears in her eyes. Cho nodded.

"I know, I'll miss it too. I'll miss all of you." Cho replied. She turned to face Beverly… promise me you'll do something for me." Cho said softly.

"Sure Cho, anything, what do you want me to do for you?" she asked.

"Promise me that you'll take care of Luna for me. She's going to have a difficult time now that I can't watch over her. Make sure no one teases her, okay?" Cho said, more tears forming in her eyes. Beverly smiled.

"You mean your not mad at her anymore Cho, why didn't you tell her?" Beverly asked happily.

"No… I am still mad at her, very much so. Just… I need time… don't tell her that I told you to take care of her, just please make sure that no one picks on her." Cho finished.

"I promise, Cho. I promise that I'll look after her. No ones going to bother her." Beverly nodded.

"Thank you, now let's go." Cho said, and the two of them started back down the path to the platform. As they walked on Cho looked at Beverly. "I just wanted to say thank you for everything that you've done for me over the years Beverly. I'm very grateful for all your help in school, and being there to console me about Cedric. You've been a really good friend, and I wish that I had been a better one." Cho said softly.

"For every thing that I've done? Cho, you've done far more for me than I can ever repay you for. You've been the one who was there for me every time. Especially when you gave me the courage to stand up to people like Marietta when I needed it most. _Thank you_ _Cho, _I owe you so much." Beverly said sincerely. Cho shook her head.

"No Beverly, you don't owe me anything, that's what friends do for each other. You would have done the same for me. And I'm not keeping score." Cho said. Cho, sadden from her departure, had her eyes to the ground as they continued to walk, so she didn't see the person waiting for her at the train platform until Beverly shouted.

"**What the fuck are you doing here? Get the hell out of here." **Beverly shouted. Cho looked up in surprise to see Harry Potter waiting at the train station, a depressed look on his face. He started to walk up to the two of the girls, but Beverly pushed him back roughly, almost sending him falling over a wooden bench. "Get out of here Potter! Cho's had enough of your insults, and you biting her head off, she's never done anything to you, and you always, attack her. Well not this time, you're going to let her leave in peace. Do you understand? Piss off Wanker!" Beverly said drawing her wand.

"Look I just want to talk to Cho this is my last chance. I'm not here to fight, and I just… I have some things to say, and I'm not letting her leave until I say them. Now you Ravenclaws have kept me from seeing Cho all week, and this time you're not going too." Harry said in a serious, but civil tone.

"Forget it Potter, she doesn't want to talk to you. You're a racist git, who has treated her badly since last year. Now get lost before I have to hurt you. Beverly said holding her wand in a threatening manner. Harry pulled out his own wand to counter.

"Look, I don't want to duel with you, but if I have to, in able to talk with Cho I will. **Not let me see her! **Harry shouted, ready to fight with the girl.

"I said for get it! This is it for you Potter **Fungu**…" Beverly started to say a cure, and Harry started to say a freezing spell at the same time, but both were distracted, by Cho's shouting.

"**Stop it! Stop, this is stupid." **Cho cried. Beverly put your wand down, please." She begged. Beverly looked at her with disappointment.

"But Cho, he…" she started, but was cut off.

Cho walked over to Beverly, and grabbed onto her wand, lowering it to the ground, for safety. Cho then hugged Beverly again tightly. She gave her a last look.

"Thank you so much for walking me down here Beverly, but I want to hear what he has to say. I'll be okay." Cho said. Beverly shook her head.

"Cho, I still believe he's dangerous. Remember what everyone said that he did to those Slytheren boys on the train, and what he did to Cindy Miggins, and how he's treated you all this time? You can't trust him Cho." Beverly said concerned. Cho looked back at Harry, and then at Beverly again.

"I don't believe that that was him about Cindy Miggins, but I have to hear what he has to say. I'll be okay, please go back to the castle Beverly; he's not going to hurt me. I promise." Cho said. Beverly gave her a sad look for a moment, and then walked up to Harry grabbing his collar.

"**Now you look **here** Mr. Potter! That is my _best friend_ right there, and if you harm one hair on her head, so help me I'll break every bone in your body! Do you understand me?"** Beverly said. Harry nodded.

"I understand, I don't… I'm not here to attack her. Just to talk." Harry said monotonically. Beverly looked at Harry coldly. She released her grip on his collar, and said goodbye to Cho one last time, then left to head up back to the castle. Cho and Harry looked at each other for long silent moment before anyone spoke. Cho looked around, they were alone. She then looked back at Harry.

"Well, now's your chance Harry. You can get in some final shots at me before I leave. What would you like to say to me? How would you like to hurt me this time." Cho said quietly. Harry looked at her, his face full of shame.

"Cho, I… I'm so sorry for what I called you. I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking. I've been trying to apologize to you the past three days, but no one would let me near you. I'm sorry." Harry said sincerely.

"Sorry for what Harry? You've said many hurtful things about me. Which one are you sorry for, calling me a human hosepipe? Calling me a bitch… a chink? Which one are you sorry about because they all hurt very much." Cho said without emotion. Harry's voice started to shake.

"I'm sorry for all of it. I… it was a mistake. I didn't mean to say those things…" Harry started, but was cut off.

"Then why did you Harry? Why did you say those things, and hurt me. And I am still hurt. Because I get called those things by people like Marietta, and it hurts some, but I've learned that that's the kind of person that she is, and she means nothing to me. But when it comes from you… why would you say those things to me?" Cho asked sobbing a little. Harry lowered his head.

"I don't know Cho, I've been angry lately. I don't know why. It's caused me to lash out, without reason. I'm sorry about… really, and I also didn't know about your mum. So I feel very guilty about it." Harry said.

"So, if… my mum wasn't sick than it would be okay to say those things to me, is that it?" Cho asked sarcastically. Harry shook his head.

"No Cho. It's… there's no excuse for it. I feel awful about it. I'm not like that. It's not me. Really!" Harry said ashamed. Cho's face did not show any emotion as she spoke.

"But it _has_ been you Harry. It's been you a lot, and I can't take it anymore. I've done nothing but stand up for you, and… and you treat me like shit. Why? What did I ever do to you that was so bad? Marietta? If I had known what she was going to do to the DA, I would have never brought her, but how many times can _I say_ that I'm sorry Harry. Because it's never good enough for you anyway. I can't win over your trust. You always suspect me of plotting against you, something that I've never done. But you still don't trust me… so I guess you're right… what's the point of the two of us being friends." Cho said, coldly, but the realization of it was tearing her up inside.

"Cho, I… I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry that I did, and I really didn't mean it when I said that we shouldn't e friends anymore. I do want to be friends. Please give me another chance." Harry pleaded. Cho sat down on a wooden bench on the platform to rest.

"Harry, I've done a lot of thinking… about last year, and this one in particular. It seems every time we fought that _I_ was the one who always tried to rebuild the connection between us. I always tried to make the effort to bond with you on some level. Sometimes… sometimes I couldn't look at you or speak to you because you hurt me so much, but in the end I worked hard to reach out to you. That last day last year, when we saw each other in the corridor… I wanted _you_ to try and reach out to me, but you didn't, and it hurt. At Hogsmead, when I needed to talk about Cedric, you didn't want to talk to me, and I needed to confide in you desperately. Maybe it was wrong of me to bring it up on a date, and I'm sorry for that, but… I loved him very much, and I needed to bring some closure to that part of my life. I needed to know about what happened, so that I could put it behind me. You said that you didn't want to talk about it, but then this year I found out that you went and told the whole thing to Rita Skeeter. Luna told me. She said you didn't particularly like her… but you told her everything that you couldn't tell me. I did have feelings for you Harry, I told you during Christmas, but you didn't understand. I told you that I really liked you, and it was hard for me, because I had a lot of feelings of guilt about feeling this way about someone so soon after Cedric's death. I kissed you, but you didn't say anything too me. Now this year… all you do is suspect me of being your enemy, so… I just can't win. So I'm leaving here today… I have to go home, people there need me, and I need them. But it's clear that you don't need me, and I've come to realize that I don't need you. You're bad for me Harry Potter. Any word from you can shatter my heart, and your words are too often hurtful. I'm not a strong person. I don't know if the people that hang out with you are used to your insulting them, or maybe they just are stronger willed, and can brush off such abuse, but I'm not strong like that. So I can't take the treatment that you may be used to giving you friends." Cho said all this to Harry in a soft, non aggressive tone, sounding more like a teacher instructing a student about a historical event.

"Cho, I don't treat my friends like that. I don't… call them names." Harry said, choking back tears. He walked over and sat next to Cho on the bench. "Please Cho; I'm not like that to people." Harry said. Cho nodded.

"I believe you Harry; I guess I just warrant special treatment like that. But you see, you hurt me, and so it's not ever going to work out between us in any form. You know… what hurts more than the hateful comments of calling me a bitch, a human hosepipe, and a… chink, is that fact that you don't trust me at all. I've never done anything against you, Harry, and tried to help you when ever I could, but… you'll never trust me… and that hurts more than anything else." Cho said. Harry shook his head, and grabbed her arm.

"No Cho, please I believe you. I didn't know about your mother before. I didn't know about… how you and Marietta were enemies, and how she did mean stuff to you. I believe every word that you say, and I'll never doubt you again. I promise. I want to fix this, I don't want you to leave thinking I'm your enemy." Harry said pleadingly. I've been so bad to you and I want to take it back. Please Cho I want to be friends, I want you to stay here at Hogwarts and be with me, and I'll never hurt you, or not trust you again." Harry begged.

"I can't stay Harry. I'm needed at home. I shouldn't have come back here this year; I'm just too stupid for it." Cho finished.

"Your not stupid Cho, your very bright, and I want to be friends, don't hate me Cho. It's your mum that's part of the reason that you have to go. I understand… but I want you to come back after you see your mum. I'm sorry that she's sick Cho. I really am." Harry cried, with tears rolling down his eyes. Cho had a smirk on her face.

"Still want to trade places with me Harry? After all, my problems are silly in comparison, aren't they?" Cho asked, not raising her voice. Harry took off his glasses and whipped his tearstained eyes with his arm, before he spoke.

"No… no Cho I wouldn't want to trade places with you. I guess I got to feeling that I was the only person that bad things happened to." Harry said quietly. Cho looked at him sadly.

"Well you're not Harry… your not." Cho said in monotone. Harry held Cho's hand.

"Cho, don't leave here hating me, please… I feel bad about what I said. I'm not a racist; I've never said anything like that before. Please… believe me." Harry asked. Cho removed his hand from hers, and put her hand on his shoulder. She looked Harry directly in the eyes.

"I… I don't think that you're a racist Harry. But that doesn't make what you said to me hurt any less. In fact it hurts more because I never thought that you would ever be capable of saying something like that. I mean, I've come to expect it from people like Marietta, but… it's done now… you can't take it back, so just forget it. Anyway I don't hate you either. I never did, she said looking deep into his eyes.

"Then come back to me when you're done. When you're finished visiting your mum… come back here." Harry said weakly. "Cho look, there is too much between us to just throw away because of some stupid mistake I made." Harry continued.

"There is nothing between us Harry." Cho said closing her eyes, and looking away from him.

"But we… we know each other so well now Cho…" Harry started. Cho shook her head.

"We don't know each other at all Harry. All I know about you is that you're _The Harry Potter_ hero of the magic world…. And to you… I'm just a sobbing school girl that… that you can't even trust. There's no reason for me to come back Harry." Cho said, her voice breaking, but no tears this time.

"No… Cho, I _do_ trust you now! I completely trust you…" Harry started in a panic, but Cho cut him off.

"Why do you trust me _now_ Harry, What's changed?" Cho asked.

"Because, Luna told me about your mum, and Marietta, and about your party. Now I know everything, and I trust you." Harry said with all sincerity. Cho closed her eyes, and gave a heavy sigh.

"You don't know anything about it Harry, and besides… you've only just proven my point. You had to hear it from Luna before you believed in my innocence. I had been telling you all along, and that's why it won't work out between us Harry, you would always have to hear something from someone else before you believed me. How can you have any type of relationship without trust?" Cho asked sadly.

"Cho… I, look I do…" Harry started, but was again cut off by Cho.

"**Harry!** We only have a short time until I have to go… lets talk about something else. She said.

"Talk about what else? What could be more important than this? Cho I've been trying to apologize to you." Harry said desperately.

"Harry, I accept your apology, but I don't want to talk about it anymore." Cho finished.

"Then you'll come back soon after you check up on your mum? We can see each other again, when you get back?" Harry asked hopefully. Cho looked at him for a moment, a sad expression on her face.

"Harry, I'm never coming back here… I'm leaving the Wizarding world forever." Cho said quietly. Harry just sat there in total shock for a moment before he could answer, and even then, he couldn't express himself the way he wanted to.

"What? Don't be ridiculous Cho, you're a pureblood, you'd… you'd never make it in the Muggle world without magic. You should stay here in this world, believe me there is nothing for you out there, and you'd hate it Cho!" Harry said trying to think of reasons for Cho to stay. Harry hadn't known that Cho had planed to leave the Wizarding World, especially forever. It was a horrific thought that he hadn't counted on in the worst case scenario.

"How do you know weather or not I'm capable of making it or not in the Muggle world? I'll have you know that I can use the internet, drive a car, use the telephone, and… I even had a job this summer at a muggle hospital. My cousins even taught me to cook without using magic over the summer. And another thing Harry, there is something for me there. I have family that are Muggle, just like you do." Cho said a little offended at Harry's lack of faith in her. Harry tried to think of a way out of his misspoken statement.

"No, that's not what I meant… I just thought that you didn't… associate with Muggles… I…" Harry stammered. Cho's face turned to one of pity for him.

"Didn't think that I associated with Muggles? Harry… more than half my friends are Muggle borne, or half-blood, and none of that matters to me anyway." Cho protested.

"I know, I didn't mean it that way Cho, really." Harry said with all sincerity.

"Then what way should I take it Harry? You just said that you didn't think I associated with Muggles." Cho said sternly.

"I simply meant that most Wizarding people don't come into contact with Muggles. Two different worlds. Apart from my relatives, the only Muggles that I talk to are Hermione's parents, and that's only once per year when my mates pick up our supplies at Diagon Ally, and I didn't even see them this year at all." Harry said. Cho's expression changed to one of understanding, and she nodded.

"Well… I guess it's the same for me as far as friends parents go, but I have an uncle who's a squib, and his family, which are my family, are Muggles. I love them very much and never cared weather they were magic users or not. Harry, I don't think like that." Cho said.

"I know, really Cho, I never meant to imply that you did." Harry said apologetically.

"Okay Harry, then never mind." Cho replied quietly. Suddenly the two heard the rumble of thunder from high above. They both looked to the sky. "Looks like rain again Harry." Cho said casually. Harry brought his eyes back down to Cho. She was so beautiful, and she had changed her hair back to its beautiful raven black color. Cho wasn't crying this time, but her face still had that sad look that never left her. She was just stunning, at this moment looking up at the clouds, and listening to the loud crack of thunder. Lightning flashed at that moment and, the bright flash caused it to look as if someone were talking a picture of Cho. Harry would have given anything to have Collin Creevey's camera right now, he thought. **_Pictures! _**Harry thought.

"Cho, can I have a picture of you!" Harry asked with an excited expression. The question caught Cho off guard, and her jaw dropped.

"Well… I, why do you want one Harry?" she asked.

"Because, I'll miss you, and I won't see you again until Christmas Holliday." Harry said in utmost sincerity. The statement confused Cho.

"Christmas Holliday? Harry I told you, I'm never coming back here." Cho said in a tone of finality. Harry nodded his understanding, and to her surprise, a smile came across his face.

"I know Cho; I'll come to see you! Where do you live, Motherwell Scotland right?" Harry said excited at the prospect of seeing Cho at Christmas.

"No, Harry… I don't think that that would be a good idea. Look, you were just saying that you wanted to end the friendship anyway, well this is our chance at a clean break." Cho said without emotion.

"But Cho, that's not what I want! I _want_ to be friends; I want to be more than friends! I know what I said before, but I was angry, sometimes when you're angry you say things that you don't mean. And I didn't mean what I said about not being friends anymore. Cho please don't do this! Please don't write me out of your life. I really do want to see you again." Harry said desperately. Cho looked away from Harry canceling her facial expression from him.

"I'm sorry Harry, it… it just won't work out between us. I can't deal with everything that's been going on. I… I don't want you to visit me. You belong here, I don't. It just never worked out between us, that's all. You have a girlfriend anyway, but…"

"We'll, she's not really my girlfriend… more like were just dating…" Harry said. "I'm sure that she wouldn't miss me. I'll break up with her."

"… but, I was going to say that it didn't matter. There is still no trust in me. Anyway, it's too late Harry. To an extent you did let me know how you felt about me this year and last. Cho turned to face Harry, and it was a moment before she next spoke. "I'm tired Harry… I'm tired of the drama in this school, tired of not being able to function because of all of the problems that I have here and at home, and tired of… everything. I know that you have so many problems too, and I'm really sorry about it. I just… with me gone, that's one less thing that you have to worry about. I know why you're here right now Harry. You said something stupid, and you feel bad about it. I believe you when you say that you didn't mean it, and your not like that, I do… but your really only here because you needed to apologize, and end the guilt that you feel, because you're a good person who doesn't usually say things that you said to me. I forgive you Harry." Cho said as she stood up. Harry stood up as well. "But… I can't go on like this, fighting, arguing, there are things that I may never be able to tell you, and you always need constant proof from me. I understand, but I… it's not up to me weather or not to tell you things about myself or my family." Cho said, she looked around the castle above them one last time, and a small smile came across her face, as the first raindrops started to fall. "You know Harry; I haven't always had such a bad time here. I've gotten to know this place quite well. My friends and I played hide and seek all over the castle my first few years, I used to study Charms under a tree by the lake, I was very good in charms, Professor Flitwick is my favorite teacher. I got my first kiss from Cedric after the dance…" Cho started to reflect on her memories, but choked a little when she recalled Cedric. She looked at Harry silently, as the cold rain started to pour at a faster rate on the two of them. "I loved him very much Harry. I wonder what might have been if he had not died… if we would have ended up together. I still miss him. I always will. I have many great memories of Cedric. He was… a very special person, and he enriched my **live very much. My first kiss from him was something that I will always treasure, as well as the others that we shared." **Cho said. Harry looked at Cho dumbfounded as the rain ran down his glasses, blurring his view of her. Their hair started to soak in the continuous pouring, and as they were so close to the train, the pounding of the drops on the metal roof caused the two to have to yell to each other to be heard.

"**Cho, why are you saying this to me? Why are you telling me about your intimate moments with Cedric?" Don't you know that it hurts me?"** Harry shouted, not out of anger, but to be heard over the thunder, and rain that was soaking them both.

"**Because Harry… I needed you to know how much he meant to me, to know how special that he was… because, although I value every moment that I spent with him… my most treasured moment here at Hogwarts, was the kiss that we shared, and that's why I don't want you to visit me. Because you didn't kiss me back that much. You can't have ever had the love that I have for you." Cho said sadly. **

"Have for me?" Harry said barley audible in the rain.

"**Had for you, Harry… I don't have feelings for you anymore. We have to end it here." **Cho corrected herself. The train whistle blew, and they both looked at the conductor motioning Cho to get on board. Harry turned back to Cho.

"**You still love me Cho. You still do, and I lo…" **Harry started, but Cho put her hand over his mouth.

"**Don't say it Harry! Not now… you don't… how could you? We don't even know each other. All I know you as is _The Harry Potter_, hero of the wizarding world… and to you, I'm just a sobbing school girl who… who you can't' even trust. So now we have to say goodbye."  
****"Cho, I completely trust you… I…"** Harry protested, but Cho stopped him again.

"**Forget it Harry, look how do I know that I really didn't only like you because of your fame anyway. My feelings for you might have only been hero worship, how would I know?"** Cho said. But Harry finally had an answer to one of her questions, something indisputable.

"**Because… you supported me when almost no one else did. When I wasn't The Harry Potter, when everything was against me." **Harry protested, starting to shake from the cold, and wondering why they hadn't both moved from their original position, out of the freezing, flowing rain.

"**A lot of people supported you after the Quibbler article came out Harry, not just me."** Cho countered.

"**You supported me before the article came out Cho. Before the DA was started, and before that bitch Umbridge became grand inquisitor." I wasn't popular and you still liked me. You still do. I know it." **Harry said. The train whistle blew, and the conductor waved Cho to the last car with an annoyed look on his face. Cho reached out her hand to shake Harry's.

"**I'm sorry Harry, it just didn't work out. I don't have feelings for you anymore, and… it's just too late. I wish you well, I always will. Take care of yourself."** Harry looked down at Cho's extended hand. Was this it? Did Cho really expect Harry to just shake her hand, and it was over? _No, Damit, if this is going to end, it's not going to be like this. _Harry grabbed Cho's head on both sides with his hands, and pulled his face quickly up to hers. Kissing her passionately, as her eyes went wide with surprise. The kiss was a little forceful, but it would be his only chance. Harry kept his lips pressed to hers for a long moment as the rain drenched then both. He eventually, moved his head on her shoulder, and put his arms around her body in an emotional hug. She eventually put her head on his shoulder as well, and it seemed that she was about to put her arms around him as well, but she hesitated, and lightly pushed him away. Harry looked at her, his heart breaking at the thought of never seeing her again, and he finally found the courage to tell her what he had not realized himself for too long.

"**I love you Cho Chang! I love you, and I know that you love me too!" **Harry shouted. Cho looked at Harry stunned. A brief moment of silence fell between the two, as they sat there in the flood of raindrops. Cho shook her head.

"**Goddamn you Harry Potter. How could you do this to me now?" Cho shouted. "It's just too late."** She finished. She picked up her steamer trunk, and walked past him, and onto the last car of the train, leaving Harry to sit back down on the bench numb to the cascading water falling on him. He watched the train slowly start to pull out of the station, and then speed up. He sat and watched as the train turned down the hill, he had trouble breathing as the it became smaller, went out of sight for a time behind a hill, and then came around the hill for one last brief view from where he sat, only to disappear one last time behind another hill. And like that, Cho Chang was gone from his life. Harry walked the long path back to the school, the rain covering his tears. There was no one outside anymore they had all been driven in by the foul weather, but he was glad. He didn't want to talk to anyone anyway. But as he walked into the courtyard a lone figure stood in his path. The person did not look to happy to see him at all, and had their wand at the ready for a fight.

"You and I have to have a long talk Harry Potter! Just the two of us, and it's not optional." The person said. Harry gave a great sigh, and nodded.

"Okay, where did you want to talk Beverly Jones?" he asked.

Cho sat in the last seat crying profusely, of the last car of the train, with her head against the window, thankful for the pouring rain that hid the tears in her eyes, and thankful that the rumbling thunder covered the sound of her heart breaking again. _How could Harry say that he loves me now? How could he do that to me? I needed to hear that so much sooner. But still… it doesn't matter. I have to get back to mum. I have to stop thinking of my self; I wouldn't have time for Harry anyway… He needs to be with his girlfriend, she can give him the attention that he deserves, that I can't._ Cho thought, to herself.

"It just wasn't meant to be. It would never have worked out. I don't love him anymore."she lied to herself. Cho closed her eyes, and tried to blank out every thing that was happening to her, and what would happen to her once she got home. She heard the door slide open to her compartment.

"Treats from the cart? Any cockroach clusters, Crunchy frogs?" the voice of an old woman asked.

"No thanks, I don't want any." Cho said without opening her eyes.

"Well that's good because I didn't bring you treats anyway." The voice said playfully, but it came to a very young girl. Cho looked up in surprise at who the voice had come from. Her face instantly became one of disgust.

"**Marietta!" **Cho said angrily.

Gee I'm glad it's raining… there's always something to be thankful for

I'm awfully glad it's raining cuz no one sees your teardrops when it pours

And no one knows the thunder is your hear break in disguise

They think the rainy night's what took that sad look in your eyes

I sure am glad it's raining, the gentle rhythm sooths the pain inside

I'm glad the stars aren't shining; a wounded warrior needs a place to hide


	51. Chapter 51

Froggie2: No problem. The complement was very true. Wow, my story made you cry? That's probably the best complement that I can get. Thanks. Yes, it's not going to be so easy for Harry, and Cho to hook up, but at least now he will trust her. But Cho had to go because she has some stuff at home to take care of for a time. You know I think I lost most of my readers, because it took me so long to even get the two to this point in the story. Thanks for posting a review.

darkwave390: Hi, and thanks for reviewing my chapter. Well basically Beverly doesn't trust Harry at all. It's the way he treated her the last year, and this year. Plus, from Beverly's perspective, Harry attacking people on the train to school, attacking people on the pitch, and threatening Miller, and Patel. She wanted to let him know that if he… we'll I don't want to spoil the chapter for you.

imakeeper: Hi, thanks again for posting a review, and a longer one at that.:) Well it's never in Marietta's plan to kill Cho, as she is trying to use her to get at Harry. In fact this is her twisted idea of a last ditch attempt to… well read on and you'll see. Just know that Marietta has forgotten how to win friends and influence people.

T-person: Thanks for the review. Well Harry did finally snap out of it, but Cho has to go now to be with her mum. Harry will have his own problems. But I'm afraid that there is more pain in store for Cho. She will now have problems at home, but I think that no one could blame her for being depressed here, or in OOTP. But maybe Cho is stronger than she gives herself credit for. What do ya think?

Back again everyone… well everyone who's left anyway. Um this chapter makes the last part of the day that Cho leaves. But I had to write it. I needed to finish it up. Marietta is waiting for Cho of course, and Beverly waiting for Harry. I'm going to move about at a quicker pace, because I need to get further down in the school year. Next time Cho will be at hospital, and I'm working on developing that chapter. It will start off the next day, but quickly jump to later. Harry will be going with someone on the rebound, out of a since that an emptiness needs to be filled. It's not exactly love that he will be looking for, but something to keep him from being alone… but I'm getting ahead of myself for now. I hope the chapter is okay. Thanks for reading.

**Chapter 51: Breathless on a train**

Marietta stood in the doorway to Cho's train compartment with a mischievous smile on her face, twirling her wand about in one hand. She had a red leather purse, over her shoulder, and her broom was lying against the door. Cho shot up out of her seat and instinctively, out of habit reached for her own wand only to find herself grasping at nothing.

"**Shit!"** Cho said remembering that she had turned her wand into professor Flitwick days earlier. Marietta's smile became even more pronounced as she tossed her hair with her hand.

"Opps… forget something Cho?" Marietta asked innocently. Cho folded her arms in front of her and gave Marietta a hateful stair.

"**Piss off, sneak!** Haven't you bothered me enough, can't you at least let me leave in peace now. You should be happy now that you'll never have to see me again, so why harass me all the way home?" Cho said in utter disgust. Marietta put her hand to her heart and displayed a look of mock hurt from Cho's statement.

'Uh, Cho, what a terrible thing to say to me, after I came all this way to wish you well on your little holiday, and what makes you think that I'm happy about you leaving? Really, I'm very sad to hear about your poor mum. I was thinking of sending her an owl, with a get well card just the other day. After all I really feel for her having a family and daughter in particular that cares so little about her that they put her in a hospital run by those people. I mean come on; you don't really seem to have a lot of compassion for your poor mum. I'm actually disappointed in you Cho. But… hump, good friend that I am, I came to wish you well before you leave, and to tell you that when you get back we can be friends again, just like old times. Wouldn't that be fun?" Marietta asked in a giggling voice.

"Ha, I have no wish to ever be your friend Marietta, now get out of here before I push you off the train." Cho said.

"My, such violent behavior, it comes from associating with mudbloods you see. It's important that you become free of such rubbish for your own good Cho. You know the people that you spend your time with are having a bad effect on your marks, that's why you're failing. With your marks as bad as they are this year, you're going to need someone of my superior intelligence to help get you through the school year. I mean… you know I'm the most intelligent girl in the school, I could help bring your marks up in…" Marietta started, but was cut off.

"**I said piss off! I don't want your help, and you're not good enough to even talk about my friends or my family, so shut up, and leave me alone. I don't need your help, and I don't need you talking shit about the people I love!"** Cho said with a barely controlled rage.

"Oh, you must calm yourself Cho. There's no need to get worked up… after all, like I said, I'm here as a friend to wish you a good time until you come back. Why not join Danielle and I? Come on Cho, your one of us, you've always denied that being a pureblood is important to you, but… isn't it really wonderful knowing that your better than other people?" Marietta finished, sincerely believing her rant. Cho looked at Marietta now with a mixture of hate, and pity respectively. She couldn't believe that Marietta still expected her to buy in to her doctrine of racial superiority.

"Are you deaf Marietta? I told you that there is no difference between a pureblood, half-blood, Muggleborn, or even Muggles, I think…" Cho started.

"**_No difference between us and Muggles?_** What a sick thing to say you stupid child. Those Muggles that you profess to put on equal footing to us are tearing you're mum apart! I've checked into it! Read what a radical Mastectomy is, they are butchering your mum as we speak, ripping her breast off, and it's a big part your fault for supporting such primitive nonsense! One would think that you hate your mum with that way that…" Marietta started off on another rant, but stopped in mid sentence when she saw Cho rushing her, fist ready to swing. Marietta pointed her wand at Cho, and yelled a jinx right before Cho reached her.

"**_Airis Concussionist!"_** Marietta shouted and sent Cho flying against the wall in a heap with an air burst charm, her hand striking, and breaking a window, and leaving a bloody splatter on the pain, from the gash in Cho's hand. Cho got up, a little dazed and in a lot of pain from the wound that she held close to her stomach, while she doubled over and grunted from the pain. Marietta's face was one of genuine surprise. "**Oh my god!** Did… did you just try and attack me without magic? My, my, my Cho, you really must love those people. You're acting just like them. Ha, ha, ha, oh… Cho, you can be so humorous sometime, even if you're not trying. You didn't really… think that you were going to make it to me before I could put a jinx on you, did you? Oh my god you _did_, didn't you? You poor, stupid, little girl. What am I going to do with you, tisk, tisk, tisk. That was very pathetic." Marietta continued in a light giggling voice as Cho, who was now setting down on a bench, taking out a tea towel out of her steamer trunk, and wrapping it around her hand, which still had glass from the window imbedded in it. Cho looked up at Marietta, her face a mixture of pain, and rage.

"**What the hell do you want from me, I told you, I'm not going to join your stupid society you arse!"** Cho shouted, but didn't make another attempt to attack Marietta.

"Really Cho, I'm sick of you calling my society stupid. It's getting very old. Now what's so stupid about an organization that puts a special group of people above others, why must you keep calling us stupid all the time?" Marietta asked in a girlish voice. Cho looked at her with narrow eyes, and a frown on her face, as she held the towel over the cut on her hand, putting pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding.

"Well Marietta, besides the bullocks reason that you just stated, and the fact that it's made up of a bunch of stupid gits like yourself… the acronym for your society is stupid!" Cho said in a hostile tone. Marietta looked at Cho blankly for a second.

"What are you talking about Cho? Our society doesn't have an acronym." Marietta said with sincerity. A light smile came across Cho's face, and her next words were spoken very slowly, and very clearly.

"The Society of Truth, Uniformity, Purity, Intellectualism and Domination. **S...T...U...P... I...D... **I guess you bunch of geniuses never put that together did you? Most intelligent girl in school." Cho said sarcastically. Marietta silently moved her mouth repeating the name of her society in quite thought. A look of anger came across her face with the realization that she was correct about the acronym. She through her arms about in frustration.

"We'll, were used to writing it in mostly European languages, like German, and French, so it's not the same. In German it's; Die Gesellschaft der Wahrheit, der Gleichförmigkeit, der Reinheit, des Intellectualism und der Herrschaft.

, or they say in France, where we're based; La société de la vérité, de l'uniformité, de la pureté, de l'Intellectualism et de la domination. You see, it's just a coincidence that it happened that way, and now that you've brought it to my attention, we'll change it soon enough." Marietta said trying to save face from the embarrassment of not knowing that in her native language, that the society had such a silly acronym in the language. Cho's smile had left her face now, and she was getting up from her seat, still keeping pressure on the cut in her hand with the now blood stained towel.

"It… won't do… you any good Marietta, now matter how you spell it, in what ever language, It's still stupid, because… your ideas are stupid. I don't know everything that you lot are up to, but whatever it is you won't get away… with it." Cho said still hurting, and grunting from the pain. We're not better than anyone else because of our ability to use magic, and you're an idiot for believing it." Cho said. And didn't your society start in the United Kingdom anyway? So it did start out with the acronym Stupid. I think stupid is a very appropriate word to describe you lot." Cho finished. Marietta looked like she was about to explode with rage, as her cheeks turned red, and a look of loathing came across her face, then suddenly her expression changed back to a smile again. Marietta raised her wand to Cho and shouted **"Funis Colligo!"** a jinx that caused magical rope to wrap tightly around Cho's arms, and making her drop the towel, revealing, her deep, bleeding cut. Marietta walked over to Cho, and grabbed her hand roughly, and looked over the wound, making Cho winch with pain.

"Hummm, doesn't look too good Chang. You could bleed to death, fortunately for you, that's not in my plans. Marietta held her wand up to the cut, and Cho flinched, turning away with the limited mobility that she had in the confines of the magical ropes. Marietta pulled harder on her hand to move it closer to her. "Calm down Cho, I'm just going to repair it, don't you trust me?" Marietta asked.

"**No I don't!"** Cho replied. Marietta smiled a toothy grin, and put her wand up to Cho's head.

"Well your just going to have to, because with you bound and wandless I could perform a host of really nasty jinxes on you, now give me your hand before I really hurt you. _**Now!**" _Marietta said annoyed. Cho realized that Marietta was right, she had no means to defend herself. Cho nervously raised her hand to Marietta, who used a charm to stop the bleeding. When she was finished Cho looked down and noticed that there was still a large scar running across her hand. Cho looked up at Marietta.

"What about the scar Marietta?" Cho asked coldly.

"Puffftttt… oh come on Cho, what do I look like, a healer of St. Mungoes?" Marietta laughed. "Basic magical aide. I stopped the bleeding, that's all I know how to do, and it's enough… besides, it's a healthy reminder to not attack your own kind… especially without magic. _Now… _I hope that we can have a civil conversation for the rest of the time that I'm here." Marietta said casually.

"Certainly not, I hope that I don't have to put up with your arse all the way to London." Cho said bitterly.

"No, you don't have the honor of my company all the way back; I've just come by for a short talk to talk some since into you. After all now that you told Potter that he has no chance with you, I can see that there is still hope for you."

"**How did you know that I talked with Harry, and what we talked about?"** Cho shouted, enraged at her privacy being violated. Marietta giggled, and pulled out a pair of what looked like long rubber ears out of her purse.

"Hee, hee, I found out using the most useful tool from a pair of the most genius purebloods in the wizarding world. _Although I don't think that they understand the full potential of their inventions._ These are extendable ears, and they allow a person to hear what other people are saying from a long distance. I was lucky to have them in my purse by coincidence. You see Cho I had planned to talk to you on the platform, so I flew down there this morning from my room, wanting to avoid the other Ravenclaws that were not too happy with me about the whole _letter at the party_ thing, but when I saw Potter… well I ducked back in the train. Then I watched from this car as you and Beverly met with him. Well naturally I had to find out what was going on, and I remembered these extendable ears that I got from a joke shop in Diagon Alley. They extend up to a hundred yards if you want them too. I'm surprised that you and Potter didn't see them, but I guess that you conversation was a bit intense, so neither of you noticed.

"**You had no right to do that! That was a private conversation!"** Cho said angrily.

"Oh stop bitching Cho, you should know by now that I do whatever I want too. Besides, it's not like I'm going to blab your secretes all over the school like Luna Lovegood, which by the way congratulations of getting her out of your life, there are some purebloods that just are not even good enough to attend our school." Marietta said.

"**Shut up Marietta, Luna's a lot brighter than you give her credit for."** Cho shouted. And since when do you ever go to joke shops, you're the unfunniest person that I've ever met!" Cho said angrily. Marietta smiled.

"Oh come on Cho, I find plenty of things funny, like your love for those silly, useless muggles, and those impure mudblood friends of yours. Now come on, why keep siding with Potter, and his lot? When you come back after visiting you mum…" Marietta started again, but was cut off.

"**I told you I'm never coming back here again, the good thing about that is that I'll never have to see you or you stuck up friends again!" **Cho shouted. Marietta's smile widened.

"_Oh, you'll come back Miss Chang._ Rest assured, You'll come back, and you'll be begging for my help once you do." Marietta said coldly.

"What makes you so sure Marietta?" Cho asked in monotone. Marietta tossed her head, and giggled.

"Oh, call it a hunch. You'll eventually see that Potter is a dangerous sadistic psycho. As, I said. I don't know why you side with him and his lot over me and my friends anyway. I haven't said anything to you that he hasn't. Didn't he just call you a chink the other day? So why are you so keen on supporting him?" Marietta asked.

"He's risked his life to save people from You-know-who constantly. He accepts people no matter who they are, and **_he's my friend. And your not!_** You and your lot are the only one's who shouldn't be allowed to attend our school." Cho said.

"I shouldn't be in school? I'm not the one that was failing all her classes, even charms this year, your best class. You used to get almost perfect marks in every class but Defense Against Dark Arts, until that _mudblood_ boy that you liked so much died." Marietta finished. Cho struggled to break free of the ropes in vein, at Marietta's insult about Cedric. Marietta watched Cho trying to free herself from the ropes, and giggled some more. "Oh come on Cho, you don't really think that you'll get free of this do you? You see unlike yourself, I get perfect marks in school. I know how to cast a proper binding spell. Besides, what are you so upset about. You know that his mother's parents were muggles, so in a since, just for that… he had it coming." Marietta said in a light tone. Cho's head shot up at Marietta, and she gritted her teeth.

"Marietta, when I get out of these ropes, I'm going to kill you!" Cho said, her hands clenched into fist. Marietta held her wand to Cho's ropes.

"**Adstringo!"** Marietta shouted, and the ropes around Cho began to tighten a little, causing her to struggle to breath. Marietta put her face close to Cho's. "I don't like being threatened by a blood traitor like yourself. I know that you'll never join us, but I felt that I had to try, because you defended me against Potter, I felt that I owed you a favor. Now I can see that you're to much in love with your inferior friends. _Fine!_ Then I'll treat you like them. Marietta sat Cho down on one of the train benches, and watched her struggle to breath for a few minutes. "Still going to try and kill me Cho?" She asked lightly. Cho looked at her more in pain now, than in anger. "Marietta… leave… leave… me… alone. Get these… ropes… off…mmm… me." Cho gasped out. Marietta put her arm around Cho, and mimicked her gasping.

"Cho… you've… got… to… say… the… magic… words." Marietta said. Cho looked at her in pain.

"Plll... please." Cho requested. Marietta tossed her hair and laughed.

"No... That's not the magic word for today. It's actually more than one. "Say, I hope that Potter dies a horrible death at the hands of you know who. Then I'll loosen the ropes for you. You can say it slowly." Marietta teased. A look of anger came across Cho's face, and she struggled to break free once more, to no end.

"Go… to… hell Marietta." Cho gasped. Marietta's smile turned to a frown. She pulled Cho to her feet, and through her to the ground with a painful thud.

"Wrong answer Cho. Let me show you the consequences for a wrong answer in my class. Marietta raised her wand. **"Adstringo!" **Marietta shouted, and the ropes again tightened around Cho, who could now only manage the shortest of breathes. Her eyes were wide with panic, and she had to be perfectly still to concentrate on getting any small breath that she could. Marietta stood there, looking over Cho with an expression of satisfaction. "I could use the spell again Cho, I could use it until you chinkey eyes pop out of your head if I want too. Don't be smart with me. Cho was in tremendous pain, she felt that she was going to be sick, her head was numb, and her heart felt like it was about to burst. Tears of pain now flowed down her eyes, and she was sure that she was about to die. This was it. She called out for help to anyone that might here her, but, her cries were in actuality a whisper.

"Help… help me… help me…" Cho said in a barley audible whisper. Marietta knelt over Cho putting her ear to Cho's head, and spoke. Come on Cho, all you have to do is say it. Say; _I hope that Potter dies a horrible death at the hands of you know who._ Then I'll release you. Cho looked up at Marietta, and mouthed something inaudible to her, a look of pain and capitulation on her face.

"What was that Cho? Did you want to say something?" Marietta asked. Cho mouthed something again, but only the words "die" and "Who" were audible.

"Hummm let me help you with that Cho." Marietta cast a spell that lightly loosened the ropes on Cho. Marietta put her ear down to Cho's mouth one more time, and listened. "Now, what did you want to tell me again Cho?" she asked knowingly. Cho gasped a few more times, then she spoke, slowly.

"I… hope… that… that..." Cho began.

"That's it Cho, go on say it." Marietta smiled a big toothy grin. Cho used all her strength to pull in a large breath, and bust out with a statement.

"That… Marietta Edgencombe dies… a horrible death… at the hands of… You-Know-Who!" Cho burst out in pain. Marietta's smile again turned to a look of anger, and she stood up, and looked down at Cho, and nodded.

"**_Fine_!** If that's the way that you want it…" Marietta raised lowered her wand to the floor that Cho lying on. **"Adstringo!" **she shouted, and Cho again felt the tremendous pain of suffocation. Marietta, pulled a _fag _(cigarette) from her purse, and lit up, watching with enjoyment as Cho struggled, until she had finished the fag. Marietta then stood up and pointed her wand at Cho saying an incantation to remove the ropes. Cho gasped deep breaths, trying to recover from almost suffocating to death. Marietta knelt down again to talk to her.

You're muggle friends are butchering your mum! And you complain about me? You know, it's really sad what happened to your family… some of the purebloods with the most prestigious lineage around, and they end up trusting in muggles. I blame you for it Cho. No other Chang has ever dated outside the bloodline, and yet you… infect your family with the idea of associating with people who are not only non pureblood magic users, but people who have no magic ability at all. And then you send your poor mum to get cut to pieces by them. You're a depraved little girl. You need to disassociate yourself with the muggle world, and come back to ours." Marietta scolded. Cho looked up at her, still short on breath.

"You don't know… anything… about it. Their… saving my… mum's… life. She… is… going to… recover. She… she's going to… be okay. They are trying to… help her. She… will be okay… because of the doctors." Cho gasped.

"Hummm, after what they did to her, I'd rather be dead. She's not a whole woman anymore now, now she's just some freak because of the muggles." Cho enraged at the comment rose slowly to her feet, and slowly walked over to Marietta to attack her, but she was still too weak to be any danger and Marietta simply pushed her down with minimal effort. Cho looked back at Marietta with a mixture of pain, and rage.

"She is a whole woman, and… she's not a freak. She's the most… beautiful women in the… world. I'm going to kill you Marietta… I'm going to…" Cho started.

"Kill me? Honestly Cho, it's not my fault you let those people do this to her. It's probably by your suggestion. Weren't you even working for those people last summer? I honestly feel sorry for her. If she had been at St. Mungoes than she would have been cured by now. So, do go wanting to kill me when you did this to her. Marietta walked back over to Cho. "You're such a disappointment Cho. **Pathetic.** Marietta kicked her lightly in the leg, and then looked around the train compartment. She then pointed her wand at Cho again, and jinxed her with a spell that caused her to go deaf. Cho was to exhausted to move. She watched lying on the floor, as Marietta shouted unheard words, and shot blue illumination from her wand all around the compartment. When she was done, Marietta shot Cho with a beam that restored her hearing. Marietta put her wand back in her purse, and headed to the door, grabbing her broom. She looked back at Cho one last time. "Well, I have to fly now. You know I was trying to repay a favor by trying to convince you one last time to join our society, but you had your chance, I thought that I owed you one for sticking up for me last year, but now I realize that I owe you nothing Chang. _When you get back, you're going to be just like **one of them** to me, Of no value. _Oh! _And I wouldn't tell anyone about this little conversation. No one would believe you anyway. _See you soon Cho." Marietta said and walked out the door.

Cho was breathing more normal now, but was still exhausted. She moved up from the floor, and sat in the bench, cold fresh air blowing in her face from the broken and bloody window pane, drying her teal filled eyes. Cho looked down at her broom, wanting to take off after Marietta when she was rested, but knew that she had to get to her mum as soon as possible. Revenge, no mater how much she wanted it for this, was not a luxury that she could afford. She didn't have time to live for herself now.

Beverly Jones led Harry into an inter court yard with an overhanging roof made of grey rock, and supported by a single pillar. Harry kept his hand close to his wand anxious that he was about to be attacked, by Cho's friend. Once they were under the roof Beverly turned to Harry and pointed an accusing finger at him. **"What did you say to Cho Potter!" **Beverly demanded angrily.

"I apologized for being such an arse the other day, well actually for being such an arse lately. I asked her to forgive me." Harry replied in a depressed tone, an emotionless expression on his face.

"I hope that she didn't make the mistake of actually doing that, forgiving you. **"What else did you say to her Potter?"** Beverly continued. A frown came across Harry's face.

"What ever else that was said was none of your business. It's private between me and Cho. But I didn't insult her, or hurt her feelings if that's what you mean." Harry said. Beverly looked him over as if trying to read a lie from his body language.

"You had better not Potter. You don't know how much Cho means to me, to a lot of people here at Hogwarts. If I ever find out that you try and do something to her or any of my friends than I'm going to drag you down to Azkaban myself. I've had a strong desire to zap you with some of the worst jinxes around, but knew that Cho would never forgive me if I did. She still believes you're a nice person, and as much as Cho is a person of good intentions, her judgment is now always the best. I'm going to be checking up on Cho from time to time by owl, if I find out that you've been harassing her, than you and me are going to do some dulling Potter. And I'm very good at dulling." Beverly said in a harsh tone.

"I told you that I only went down to apologize to her. What makes you think that I'm such a bad guy anyway?" Harry shot back.

"Ha, why shouldn't I… after the papers condemning you last year as someone who was probable to go off in a violent rage at any moment. Then this year when you did and attacked the people on the train, and then Cindy Miggins on the Quidditch Pitch, and threatened Allen Miller, and Padma Patel in school." Beverly said. You've been attacking people since before you even arrived in the school, and they still haven't found Padma Patel yet, did you have anything to do with her disappearance Potter?" Beverly shot suspiciously. Harry hesitated before he answered, the nightmare he had had about killing Padma that night a few weeks ago was still gnawing at his mine. Because he had had the nightmare about attacking Cindy Miggins a day after it happened, and one about threatening Miller and Padma after the event happened it filled Harry with fear about how he might eventually find Padma. _What if I am going crazy? What if I am going off on all these people? No, I can't have done it. It has to be Malfoy… he's the cause of all this. It's his fault. His fathers a death eater. Even if the Occlumey lessons were a disaster I would still know if I was being controlled by the imperious curse. Dumbledore would know too. But then he hasn't been around much has he? Hasn't even called me into his office, hasn't had a word to say to me. I've rarely seen him in the great hall either. Surely he can't still be fighting Voldermort in Eastern Europe…" _Harry thought, but his reflecting was interrupted by Beverly's shouting.

"**I asked you a question Potter! Don't just stand there looking stupid, answer me right now."** Beverly said. Harry looked up at Beverly annoyed.

"No, I didn't have anything to do with her disappearance, but I have a suspicion who did. However, as I don't have any proof about them begin involved, I'm not going to accuse without evidence. I suggest that you do the same, and not accuse me without evidence.

"Your actions this year are all the proof that I require Potter! I brought you down here to give you a warning, the only one that you're going to get from me. Stay away from my friends, and I especially Cho. Or I'll break every bone in your body, understand?" Beverly shot. Harry was getting annoyed at the repeated accusations and order that he was given.

"Look I don't want anything to do with you and your friends, and as for Cho, well… she said it's over between us anyway. Why are you so obsessed with this, I told you that I went down to apologize to her, why would I try and hurt her? _I love her!_ I think that your just jealous Jones. You already said that you're a lesbian, I think that you just want her so your trying to make sure that I don't get in your way. Well it will make you happy to know that I blew my chance to be with her. I screwed everything up, and now I don't have a chance. I've lost her to my own stupidity. So you can try and be with her now. You win." Harry shot back, his voice breaking a little, at the realization of his situation in regards to Cho. Beverly put her hand in her head, and gave Harry a look of pity.

"Potter you git. We don't have that type of relationship, and I have a girlfriend. To add Cho isn't gay or bisexual anyway, so even if I was interested she wouldn't be. Cho is my best friend." Beverly said annoyed.

"Why would she be best friends with someone like you?" Harry said, referring to Beverly's constant rude behavior, and violent temper, and not her sexual preference.

Well not that it's any of your business Potter, but to let you know what kind of person that Cho is I'll let you know why Cho is my best friend. Cho is the one who got a lot of people to stop harassing me, when I _came out of the closet._ She still accepted me as a friend, after other _friends_ of mine had disavowed me. She never treated me less after I told her, and helped me get through the ordeal.

"What do you mean, she accepted you because you were in someone's closet?" Harry asked blankly.

"Oh god. Coming out of the closet, means telling people that I'm gay. It's an expression you bone head. Anyway the point is that I owe Cho a lot, I'm always looking out for her, because she looked out for me, and a lot of other people who were made fun of for one reason or another too. That's the kind of person that she is. One who hates prejudice and injustice. But she's very naïve too. She thought that she could change a racist like Marietta, and she still thinks that she can change a racist like you. " Beverly said.

"I'm not a racist. I said I was sorry for what I said, and I meant it. I'm not like Marietta, and I'm not going to hurt Cho or anyone else. Damit, I'm _The Boy Who Lived_. I helped stop You-Know-Who at the ministry battle last year. I'm not like Marietta at all!" Harry said his face flushing red with anger, at the accusation.

"Whatever Potter! I don't believe you. I didn't believe you last year, and I don't this year. I just brought you here to let you know that I won't let you get away with anymore attacks on people. If you go after any of my friends… than I'm coming after you. I know that your dangerous, and I'm going to be watching you closely from now on, so you'd better not step out of line." Beverly scolded Harry.

"Who do you think that you are threatening me? You're not even a prefect!" Harry said back. Beverly patted the wand in her pocket.

"I don't have to be a prefect to put a jinx on you so bad that you'll be in the hospital ward for a week. I mean what I said. Don't… step out of line." Beverly finished. She turned and walked out of the courtyard leaving Harry Brooding about the incident, and false accusations. Rage built up inside him so much that he slammed his fist into the concrete pillar next to him, and let out a pain filled shout.

"**Owww! Shit. That hurt."** He said to himself, as he looked at the bloody scrapes on his hand. He pulled out his wand, and recited a first aide incantation, instantly stopping the bleeding, but leaving fresh scabs on his knuckles. He felt alone, and depressed as he left to eat at the Great Hall. He needed to hold someone, anyone, not to talk, but just to embrace another human being. As he turned down a corridor, he saw Fiona talking to some Slytherins from her year. She looked up and saw him the next instant.

"**Harry, Harry come here for a moment!"** Fiona said excited. Harry walked directly up to her, and gave her a tight hug, burying his head in her shoulder.

"Mmmmm… what's with all the affection?" She asked in a sensual tone.

"Just hold me a minute." Harry said. "Just hold me and tell me that you care about me." Harry said in a sad tone. Fiona gave him a tight squeeze for a brief moment, and said that she of coerce she cared about him. Then she lightly pushed him away.

"Now Harry You remember Donald and my friends from the Great Hall the other day, right?" Fiona asked gesturing to the others beside them. Harry nodded, and exchanged pleasantries with them. "Donald is going to have a bash this Thursday night in one of the empty classrooms. It's very hush-hush, so I only want you to tell the hero's of the Battle at the Ministry, Hermione, and Ron, and Neville Longbottom to come. Well bring our own friends, keep it very quite, and don't get caught by filch, or Miss Norris. I'll give you a map to the room at dinner." Fiona said.

"Okay, but what about Luna Lovegood, she was at the battle of the Ministry." Harry said. Fiona caressed Harry's face with her soft hands.

"Oh, Harry sweetie… we've already discussed this. You can hang out with Luna another time. Wouldn't you rather be with me Thursday night? I mean, we don't have to spend all night at the party. We can… spend some time, _just the two of us._" Fiona said, and kissed him lovingly. When she pulled away she looked into his eyes. "Now, do you think that you could go to one party without Luna Lovegood, for me?" She asked sensually. Harry was aroused at the passionate kiss, and still a little lonely, and now a bit confused.

"Well… okay. I suppose that I can make time for her later. But… but we have to discuss this later Fiona." Harry said hesitantly. Fiona nodded and smiled.

"Of coarse Harry-poo, but after the party. I'll see you at dinner; I'll give you the map then." Fiona said, and left for class followed by her friends who bid Harry goodbye with a snickering, collective: _"Goodbye Harry-poo."_ Harry's face turned red from embarrassment, but it was good to be held and kissed by someone that believed in him, he needed Fiona right now, he needed someone to hold him, and fill the since of loss that was overwhelming him, he thought as he walked down the hall to his next class.


	52. Chapter 52

Froggie2: Thanks so much for the review. I'm having Cho stay home for a while, and I'm trying to speed up time a bit, because I have to finish this fic one day! We all look forward to the Cho/Marietta showdown, but it's going to be a bit, but yea, you know it's coming eventually.

Yea, Fiona is having a bad influence on Harry, hopefully he'll eventually snap out of it. I mean he is Harry Potter.

I really wonder how many readers I still have. I wish that would have a hit counter to let authors see.

Marietta is not so powerful, just quick on the draw and intelligent… and as evil as a Cho hater.

Gray Squall: Thanks so much for the review. The thing about fags is that I recently watched a newer movie from the UK called "Dirty War" a really great movie, and the man asked for a pack of fags. So it still is used today, and I want my story to sound as British as possible, like elevators being called lifts, and trucks being called lorry's. I really have been planning that from the beginning. That's why I asked for a beta reader with Briticisms as a strong point.

Imakeeper: Wow, good wow. Thanks for the complement. I work three jobs, so haven't been able to see Laguna Beach, but all my friends say it's a great show. "Sigh!" I miss television :( Well I just hope you'll still post something, like good chapter/bad chapter/or okay chapter to let me know your still there. I think that this one will be bad chapter/ It's been crazy busy lately, and my mind is gone.

miley stewart cyrus: Thanks for the review. Well I think that when that guy made that stupid statement it really told you a lot about him. Hopefully he will stop being such an idiot in the future, and get a clue.

Well here it is, Chapter 52. Sorry it took so long, and it's not so good, I've been well spaced for time. I'll try and do better next time. But I had to get Cho out of Hogwarts for a bit. Err. This could have been a lot better. I think I was a bit to descriptive at the beginning. I'm not very good with… oh never mind… uh, enjoy.

**Chapter 52: Family Matters**

The bright red, double-Decker bus pulled up to the stop near the hospital, on Wellington place, its air breaks echoing in the foggy, early morning hours.

The door hissed open, and a young Asian girl with a steamer trunk stepped off, onto the side walk. She gave a glance at her watch with sleepy eyes before looking up at the black, early morning sky. It was four thirty five AM, and dark gray clouds blocked out the light of the stars and the full moon. The glow of street lamps and a few cars were visible, but even their lights fell dim in the thick fog that blanketed the area around the girl. Cho Chang began to walk toward the hospital guided by the glowing light emanating from the hospital's A&E (Accident & Emergency) entrance. As she walked down the lonely sidewalk she saw the flashing strobe of an ambulance pull up to the front of the building, but the fog was so thick that she could still not yet make out any forms, including the ambulance itself in the distance. As she walked, Cho was so focused on the glowing red, and blue flashing lights that she strayed off the sidewalk and fell over a fire hydrant that was hidden by the fog, bruising her knee. As Cho momentarily sat on the grass rubbing her knee, in the predominant silence she heard footsteps approaching from somewhere unseen. She stood up, and looked around, to find out if she could see where the sound was coming from. The darkness made her nervous, and without a wand she felt defenseless, and afraid to call out in the dark night. Cho grabbed her steamer trunk, returned to the sidewalk, and began limping at a quick pace toward the hospital again, looking behind her as she did. As she struggled to go as fast as she could with her hurt shin, her breathing became heavy, and she started to panic. The footsteps were getting louder, and she kept looking around to see where they were coming from as she headed towards the A&E entrance. Soon the footsteps grew ever closer, and Cho looked back once more for a moment trying to gage their direction, when she bumped into something in front of her.

"Spare some change miss?" came the gruff voice of the sinister looking man that she had run into. Cho let out a scream, and dropped her steamer trunk.

"**Please don't hurt me!"** she shrieked. The man revealed his empty palms to calm Cho.

"Relax kid, I ain't got no knife or nothing, see. I was just asking ya for some change." The sinister looking man replied.

"Oh, no… sorry. I don't have any to spare." Cho said, her voice quivering a bit. She nervously picked up her steamer trunk, and began to walk around the man, but he stepped in her path, and took a more urgent tone with her.

"Look miss, it is not for me, but me children. Their poor mum died last year, and… well work is hard to find with the economy so bad and all. I was just wondering if maybe you had any small thing to help my kids out, so I could get em something to eat, that's all, they's only five and eight years old." The man finished. Cho stood their for a minute and tried to read the man, was some change all he really wanted, or was he going to hurt her, and if she did give him some change, was he going to really spend it on food for his kids, or maybe on liquor. She didn't know, but he had said that his children had lost their mother, and the thought of such a thing happening to someone almost made her physically ill. She reached into her pocket, and handed the man some change without looking at it. The man thanked Cho just as a police constable and an EMT from the hospital arrived on the scene.

"Miss, we heard a scream, is this man bothering you?" The constable asked. Cho looked at the man for a moment, and then to the constable.

"Um, no sir." Cho replied quietly. The officer looked at the man for a moment and an expression of recognition came across his face.

"Hey I know you! I've stopped you begging for change three times this week. Still haven't learned your lesson huh, well maybe a few days in a cell will teach you." The constable said agitated. The man started to frown, and looked at Cho with a pleading face. She thought quickly.

"**Um, no that's not it sir!" **Cho exclaimed.

"What?" asked the constable looking at her.

"He wasn't begging sir, I… well I was a bit clumsy in the fog, and… I fell over a fire hydrant, and bruised my shin. That was the scream that you heard. Anyway he was helping me up. And I had to ask directions to hospital. I was visiting my mum, well I was trying too sir." Cho explained. The EMT looked at her curiously.

"You were going to visit your mum… at this hour? Surly you must know that visiting hours are well over by now." He said surprised.

"Well, I've only just come from Scotland by train, so I just arrived in London." Cho said casually.

"Ah ha, I should have known from your accent. Yes, well. You'll be able to get some rest in one of the waiting rooms until visiting hours resume." The EMT said. The constable looked at the beggar for a moment.

"Alright sir, now move along, no loitering." The constable said.

"Right, sir, thanks sir." The man said. He looked at Cho once more. "Good day miss, a pleasure." He tipped his hat and left in the opposite direction. Cho smiled, and started limping off toward the hospital. The constable stopped her.

"Wait a moment miss, your hurt. I'll take the steamer trunk, while Mr. O'Brian gives you some support for your leg. Before Cho could politely protest, the constable picked up her trunk and carried it in front of him with both hands, as the EMT put her arm around his shoulder so that she would only put pressure on her good leg. As they walked toward the hospital they heard the beggar shout with excitement in the distance, but they kept walking.

"Wonder what he's so happy about." The EMT said. They helped Cho all the way to the lift inside the building, where she thanked them sincerely, but stated that she could take it from that point. Cho exited the lift on the fifth floor, where the ICU unit was located, and walked to the nurse's station, to ask what room her mother was in. The nurse on duty was new, and had a little trouble bringing up the information on the computer, but finally told Cho what room her mum was located in, but that visiting hours did not start until eight AM. Cho said that she understood, and would go to the fifth floor waiting room and rest until eight, but when she had reached a distance at which the nurse could no longer see her she decided to pass the waiting room, and head directly to her mum's hospital room.

Cho stopped in front of the door, slightly hesitant to what her mum would look like when she opened the door. She hadn't seen her since just before her first radical mastectomy, and now she will have been recovering from both of them. Cho took a deep breath, and started to push open the door, when she was stopped by a female nurse from behind.

"I'm sorry Miss, but you can't go in there, visiting hours are not until eight. Came the voice of a nurse.

"I'm sorry, I just came from Scotland, and… I haven't seen my mum in forever." Cho said quietly without looking back.

"Cho? Cho Chang, is that you?" The nurse asked. Cho turned to see who it was. Before her stood a smiling, tall black girl in green scrubs. Cho felt silly, she had not recognized that it was the voice of her friend, and former fellow coworker Carol Kenyetta, who had spoken to her.

"Hello, Carol, how have you been?" Cho said softly. Ordinarily Cho's greeting might have been more exuberant, but the incidents with Harry, and Marietta, and the fact that she was about to see her mum dulled her senses. Carol came up and hugged her.

"My god Cho how have you been, I haven't heard from you since you left for school, no one has!" Carol said excited. Cho returned her hug, a sad expression on her face.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that… things have been a bit crazy lately. I… sorry." Cho said sincerely. Carlo waved the situation off with a smile.

"Oh, no problem Cho. You're here now, and… well were usually supposed not let anyone in, but I think that for you we can make an exception." Carol said. Cho gave a weak smile.

"Thank you Carol… how… how has mum been?" Cho asked. Carol's expression became very serious, and she appeared to be reaching for the words to say.

"Well Cho… the thing is that she's been sleeping a lot, and… it's been very trying for her." Carol stated, then looked down the hall. "Lets go into the room for a minute, the head nurse may not like you being here if she sees us." Carol stated. She followed Cho into the room. Cho walked up to her mum in the dimly lit room. She was hooked up to several machines, had two IV units attached to her arms and she was breathing through an oxygen mask. One machine monitored her heart rate, and showed a zigzagging line moving up and down. Her mum's skin was paler than ever, and she looked exhausted in her sleep. Carol watched from next to the closed door quietly, looking at the back of Cho's head, and feeling bad for her friend.

"So your father brought you in this morning did he Cho?" she asked. Cho's head shook slowly.

"No… he doesn't know I'm here yet." Cho said quietly without turning around.

"Oh, than how did he get the school to release you from your studies, I mean don't you have to have permission to leave school for an emergency?" Carol asked.

"No, not if you're seventeen." Cho said in an emotionally drained tone.

"I see, I'm sure when your finished visiting everyone would like to see you, how long you are here for Cho."

"I'm staying until mum gets better, until she's back home, and everything's back to normal." Cho said with conviction.

"Well that could take a long time Cho, what about your school?" Carol asked.

"I quit." Cho said depressed.

"Oh, I didn't know… does you dad know?" Carol asked. Cho shook her head.

"Carol… did they get… did they get all the cancer this time? Is mum going to be okay?" Cho asked her voice breaking. Carol put her head down, and spoke softly.

"Were not… sure Cho. I mean, they think so. She still needs to have regular checkups, and test, and treatments. Dr. Gardiah said that he thinks that they got it all this time." Carol said unsure. Cho turned to face her.

"That's… that's what he said last time that he… thought they got it all. Why won't he save her? He's supposed to be the best, but all he delivers is empty promises." Cho choked out, fresh tears in her eyes.

"Cho that's not fair, he's trying to cure her, all the doctors here are. It's not like you can just wave a magic wand at the problem and fix it. But a lot of people leave here cured, and I think that your mum is going to be one of them. You always talked about what a strong sprit she has." Said Carol.

"Do… do you know about wands Carol?" Cho asked.

"Huh?" Carol replied.

"You said that you can't just wave a magic wand, how did you know that we tried that, are their non-Muggles in your family?" Cho asked.

"What are you talking about Cho? Waving a wand was just a figure of speech. What's a Muggle?" Carol asked.

"Never mind, forget it." Cho said and gave a big sigh. "Does she ever wake up, does mum ever say anything." Cho asked turning back to her mother.

"She's awake on and off. She can eat now, but the medicines always make her a bit groggy. You can wake her up if you like; it might do her good to see you. Do… do you want some time alone with her Cho?" Carol stated. Cho turned around to Carol again.

"Yes… please, I would." Cho squeaked.

"Okay Cho, I understand." Carol smiled, and started to walk out.

"**Carol!" **Cho called. Carol turned back to Cho, who still had tears dropping from her eyes.

"Yes, Cho?" she asked.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I… I know Dr. Gardiah, and everyone are trying to help her, it's just that… I'm so frustrated, I just feel so useless. I'm very grateful to everyone for taking care of her." Cho said quietly. Carol hugged her one more time.

"Oh, Cho I know that you didn't mean what you said. I know that everything's going to get better, just have faith. I meant what I said; we cure a lot of people these days. Everything will be okay, you'll see." Carol finished. Cho hugged her tight.

"Thanks Carol, for everything." Cho said sincerely. Carol smiled.

"No problem Cho. I'll leave you two alone now. Don't let the head nurse catch you outside, or she'll make you leave, nothing personal, just her job." Carol said, she started to walk out, but stopped short, and turned around. "Hey Cho, I'm out of change, do you have any for the vending machine?" Carol asked. Cho dug in her pocket and handed some change to Carol without looking at it. "Thanks Cho, I… hey what's this? Are you kidding me?" Carol asked surprised.

"What do you mean?" Cho asked genuinely confused.

"What's with this gold and silver? It looks real! What's Gringots?" Carol said holding out the money in her hands for Cho to see. Cho put her hand to her head.

_Oh great, I'm so stupid, I forgot to change my money to Muggle money at Gringots, no wonder the beggar was so happy. I must have given him gold, and silver coins. I can't do anything right. _Cho thought to herself.

"Oh sorry, Carol, that was just some uh coins that I had in my family for a while, like old stuff from the attic." Cho lied. She fished around in her purse, coming up with only a pound that she had taken to Hogwarts to show her friends. Cho handed it to Carol, who handed her back the other money.

"Thanks Cho, I'll pay you back." Carol said.

"Oh, no you don't have to pay me back Carol." Cho protested.

"Okay, thanks again. I'll see you again soon Cho, ring the buzzer on your mum's bed control if you need anything." Carol said, and left the room. Cho turned back to her mum. She put a hand on her shoulder and very gently shook it.

"Mum, wake up… please wake up." Cho said softly. "Please wake up." Chi's eyes flickered, and finally opened. She looked up at Cho silently for a moment, than Cho could slight smile on her mum's face through the mask.

"Cho? Cho baby is that you… oh when did you get in? Is it Christmas holiday already?" Cho's mum asked weakly in Chinese.

"I… I only just arrived mum. It's not Christmas yet. I… I had to come and see you. I'm sorry mum. I'm sorry that I wasn't here for you like I should have been." Cho cried. She hugged her mum, and put her head on her mother's shoulder, as tears flowed from her eyes, and she sobbed uncontrollably. Her mum put her right arm, the one free of IV tubes, around Cho.

There, there my little swan, don't be so sad." Chi said, calling her daughter by her childhood nickname. "I'm going to be okay. I'm eating solid foods again you know, so… I'm getting better. The Doctors and nurses… are very nice. They still ask about you. Did you meet anyone that you know coming in here?" Chi asked. Cho had not released her mother from the hug, afraid that something would separate the two of them if she did.

"Yes, mum. I met Carol. She let me in here to see you." Cho said softly.

"Ahhh yes, Miss Kenyetta, she's a nice girl. Very hard working like you. She's helped to take… good care of me Cho. You know… I just saw your father last week… he misses you. He's been worked very long hours at Gringots, but he comes to see me here once a week if he can get away. But he has to be careful, he can't apparate at this hospital, because he has to sign in and ask the doctors how I am. But he brought me those flowers." Chi said and weakly raised her arm to some flowers that sat on a counter in the room. Cho looked at them and then back to her mum.

"They… they look beautiful mum." Cho said between sobs.

"Oh poor dear, why… do you cry. I'm going to be okay." Chi said in a comforting tone.

"I know mum, I just… missed you so much." Cho said quietly.

"Now, look up at me Cho, let me see you." Her mum requested. Cho stood up, and whipped the tears from her eyes. Her mum looked up at her with pride. "You look so nice, but you look so sad as always. It would be good to see you with a smile of your face again Cho. I haven't seen you with one in so long. Are you never happy about… about anything? I mean, you must be doing well in school now." Chi stated. Cho looked away for a second. _How do I tell mum that I've just dropped out? How do I tell mum that my grades in this past year were worse than the last. Mum was always so proud of my grades before, and told all her friends. I am her only child a Chang, and I'm such a disappointment. But I can not tell her yet, I have to think of how to tell her properly, and wait until she's better. _Cho thought. She looked up at her mum.

"I'm… doing okay in school mum." Cho lied, with no small amount of shame. Chi smiled.

"That's good. I knew that you would recover. You've had time to grieve over that poor Diggory boy. It's very sad what happened to him. But, now you have been able to concentrate on your studies. How are your friends, Beverly, and Marietta?" Chi asked. Cho lowered her head.

"Marietta and I are no longer friends, but… but Beverly is doing well. She's doing very well in school actually." Cho said. A frown came across Chi's face.

"Oh, I'm glad to hear about Beverly, but did something happen between you and Marietta Cho?" Chi asked.

"Well, it's not important. I just thought that I could change her, how she was, but I was wrong. It's not important really. How have _you_ been mum, is everything okay? What did Dr. Gardiah say about the… the other mastectomy, and latest test?" Cho pleaded to know. Chi smiled.

"Dr. Gardiah is a very intelligent man, a very good man. He thinks that for sure they got all the cancer this time. I'm going to work on recovering, and going home eventually. You know Cho… I don't remember your father telling me that he was going to send for you. I was actually going to have him wait until Christmas holiday to let you know about the mastectomy. A look of confusion came across Cho's face.

"Wh… what do you mean… you were going to have him wait and tell me?" Cho asked in a shocked tone. Chi activated the control at the side of her bed and raised herself up a little before continuing.

"Well Cho, he had… wanted to take you out of school for a visit, but I kept insisting that he tell you that everything was fine. I know that you don't need any distractions in school, and I didn't want you worrying about me. School is more important. You're a Chang, and how you represent the family is important. How long did Professor Flitwick say that you could stay Cho?" Chi asked. Cho held her mothers hand with both of hers, and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Mum, don't worry about school, I… I can make it up later. I'm going to be here for you until you get better. I'm going to help take care of you. I never should have left, but I'm here now, and I'm not going to leave again." Cho said in a shaky voice. Chi ran her hand through her daughters raven black hair, and an even bigger smile came across her face.

"My dear little swan. You make such a fuss over me, but I'm going to be okay. I'm glad to have you here, but your education is very important, so next week you'll have to go back and finish school. You can get a job in the Ministry too. You're going to make me so proud. Actually you already make me proud." Chi said softly. Cho shook her head.

"I love you mother, and I want to make you proud, but… I don't want to go back. I… I don't belong there and… and you shouldn't have kept what was going on from me. I needed to know what you were going through, and that you would be okay. I've been so worried that… it's been hard to concentrate on anything. I'm here to take care of you now, like I should have been all along." Cho said quietly. Chi smiled.

"Such a dutiful daughter. We must spend some more time talking, and catching up before you go back to school next week. But forgive me; I need to rest for now Cho." Cho nodded her understanding and watched as her mother quickly fell asleep, knowing that her words about not going back to school did not sit well with her mother.

Over the next few days Cho spent as much time with her mum as possible, telling her of her friends and what was going on in school, but being uncharacteristically vague, so as not to let her mum know about the bad things that had happened to her. Cho almost never left the hospital, and started taking showers in the adjoining bathroom, and ducking the head nurse after visiting hours were over. Cho would have lunch and dinner in the cafeteria with her friends from the hospital and catch up on what they had been doing, but when they asked her details of what she had been doing, she had been unwilling to share her stories, simply saying that she just did a lot of studying, and doing her best to make it sound really boring, so that no one would become to curious.

On the third day Dr. Gardiah finally had some time to talk to her, and was very specific to what treatments that they were giving her mum, and that they were watching her to make sure that everything was going okay. The good news was that the cancer did seem to have finally gone into remission, and that maybe in as little time as a month Chi could go to Cho's Uncle's house to start her outpatient recovery. Dr. Gardiah finally stated that he was very happy to see Cho again, but when he asked Cho when she would be returning to school, Cho informed him that it was more important that she be with her mother right now, and that school could wait.

Finally on the seventh day of that week, as Cho was sitting in a chair, talking to her mother the door to the hospital room opened behind her, and a tired, angry looking man with a bouquet of flowers entered the room. Cho stood up as she recognized her father. He glanced at Cho for a second, and then proceeded over to his wife, kissing her on the forehead. After a few minutes speaking with Chi. Mr. Pao Chang told his daughter to wait outside the room while he spoke to his wife in private. Cho obeyed, and sat on the floor, leaning against the wall outside while her father talked to her mum. Cho was a bit nervous about what her father would finally say to her. He didn't seem surprised to see her, so she had guessed that Dr. Gardiah had called her Uncle's house, or that Professor Flitwick had sent her an Owl to let him know that she was not in school. All she could do was wait until he came out to see her.

After a short time Cho's father came out into the hall and told Cho to go back into the room and say goodbye to her mother, and get her steamer trunk, they would be going to her Uncles for the night. Cho wanted to protest, she wanted to stay with her mum, but her father had an unusually angry look on his face, and she knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to argue with him right now.

When she had finished saying goodbye, and collected her things Cho and her father headed down to the car park, and got in the lorry, not saying a word to each other along the way, until Mr. Chang turned out of the hospital parking garage. He finally turned to Cho with an unhappy look on his face.

"Do you know how I found out that you were not in school Cho?" Mr. Chang said through clenched teeth. Cho lowered her head.

"No sir." Cho said quietly.

"I had changed my mail so that I would receive it at work, since I'm spending so much time there. I received a lot of Owls this weekend from the parents of your friends saying how sorry they were about Chi, and wanting to know more about her condition. There were so many owls flying around that the goblins were not happy and I was chastised for it. Needless to say I receive all my owls at the apartment again now. Now… I wonder how all those people found out about our personal family business… how do you think that happened Cho?" Her father asked. Cho looked at her father nervously.

"Dad, I only told Luna, I thought that she could keep a secrete, but she blabbed to everyone else…"

"**Do not go trying to blame this on any of your friends Cho Chang, do not even try that with me. I gave you specific instructions not to tell anyone our personal family business, you know that that's not what we do in our family, but you just couldn't keep from airing everything out to everyone could you?" **Cho's father shouted at her. She was scared, he had not yelled at her for a long time. This was very serious, but she didn't see it as her fault.

"Dad, I swear, I only told Luna Lovegood, _she_ really was the one who told every…" Cho started, but was cut off.

"**That's right! You told Luna Lovegood. You told her, and she told everyone else. But you were not supposed to tell anyone about our privacy. Now everyone knows about our business. How stupid of you!" **Mr. Chang shot back.

"Daddy, I'm… sorry. I had to tell someone. I couldn't keep it in. It hurt me, I needed to confined into someone. I was alone at school. I didn't have you to talk to, or mum, or anyone in the family to talk about it with." Cho pleaded.

"**That's what owls are for Cho, do you expect me to believe that you couldn't send me an owl? How soon did you let this Luna know about your mum? From the first day of school?" **Mr. Chang shot yelled.

"Da… dad… I" Cho started.

"**I said how long did she know Cho, answer me!" **Mr. Chang shot back. Tears welled up in Cho's eyes, and she looked out the window.

"Since… since… this summer." Cho said quietly. Mr. Chang pulled the lorry over to the side of the road and applied the parking break.

"**Look at me Cho Chang! You know the rules about what we don't discuss with others, outside the family. Now you tell me that you were talking about it to your friend even when you were home and had us to talk to? You should be ashamed of yourself. Frankly I'm disgusted. What your cousins were not good enough to talk about it with, they were there all summer, and so was I. **Her father yelled. Cho was feeling boxed in. She was upset, and angry about so much, and it all started welling up in the heated situation.

"**How could I have talked to you? You were always working! I almost never saw you at the flat. And I did talk to Sally, and Ling about it, and Aunty, and uncle too, I just needed to talk to a friend, someone that I spent time with at school. I knew that I would have to talk with someone at school about it, did you expect me to just keep it in? Do you know how lonely it can get at school? You weren't there to talk to, no one was. I'm sorry about what happened, but I had to talk to someone, I just… **I'm not a good judge of friends, that's all." Cho first shouted, and then quieted at the end.

"**I don't need you talking back to me like that Cho! I work hard to support this family. We have a lot of bills now that we didn't have before. You'll learn about that when you get into the real world." **Mr. Chang shouted. He then suddenly stopped, and faced away from Cho looking outside the window. For a long moment her remained silent. Finally he reached into his pocket, and pulled out a pack of fags, and lit one up, much to Cho's surprise.

"You smoke now?" Cho asked in shock. Her father looked at her exhausted.

"Yes I smoke now. It calms me down. I've been under a lot of stress."

"Dad, cigarettes cause cancer. Mum's suffering from cancer." Cho said in a tone that indicated a mixture of anger and concern. Cho watched as her father rolled down the window of the vehicle, and exhaled out the poisonous smoke. He looked back at her.

"I don't smoke when I visit your mother Cho. And I don't smoke in the apartment either." He said.

"Dad, they cause cancer. Can't you find some other way to relieve stress? We had a class over smoking this summer at hospital; I don't want you to be sick in hospital too. I couldn't bare it." Cho cried.

"You're exaggerating Cho. Don't give me any grief about this right now. I don't need it. Now were going back to the flat, your cousins will be glad to see you again, we'll visit your mum on Saturday again, and then I'm taking you back to school on Sunday, you'll have a lot of work to make up." Mr. Chang finished.

"I'm not going back I'm staying with mum until she gets better." Cho protested.

"**Your going…" **Her father started, but Cho cut him off.

"**I'm not going back! I can make up the term later." **Cho shouted back to her father. Mr. Chang slammed his fist on the car horn, causing it to blare and Cho to jump.

"Is that what you think Hogwarts is Cho? Do you think that it's some second rate school, like these _Muggle public schools_, that you can just go there and back whenever you want? Well you can't Cho! You have to have a signed letter by one of the professors to go back, and quiet frankly I don't think that they would do it considering your grades. You go back now, or you don't go back, do you understand?" Mr. Chang asked. Cho nodded. "Good, then that's that.

"I guess I'm never going back." Cho said softly. Her father glared at her.

"So that's your final word on it, is that right? Well let me tell you something Cho Chang, your seventeen now, you're an adult. You had better start acting like it. If your going to stay at your relatives for a while, than your going to have to get a job… **_a paying job_**, not that volunteer job that you held that doesn't provide you with any income. Hogwarts will only send a parchment showing that you completed your sixth year, no diploma. Now how good of a job do you think your going to get with that? You're going to end up selling beetle eyes by the scoop outside of a shop on Diagon Alley." Her father complained.

"I'll find something. There are jobs out there that don't require a diploma." Cho said softly, no longer having any energy to shout. What could she do? Her dad was right. At seventeen she needed a job to contribute to the family if she wasn't going to school, and was going to stay there. She would have to find a job at hospital, one that didn't require a diploma, she would go to the bulletin board that listed the jobs available the day after tomorrow, and look to see what they had available.

"You're capable of more than that Cho. You used to have the best grades in your year, your going to waste your intelligence on a job that you're over qualified for. You disappoint me." Mr. Chang finished. Cho looked away from her father, and stared out the window. She began reflecting again on her past few years again. She thought on the DA, and how she was the one who took Marietta there, who broke it up, her grades, the last Quidditch game, and how she lost it for everyone because she could not concentrate on it, and how Professor Flitwick had been so disappointed with them, Harry, and how he could never trust her, and how she had not been with her mum since summer. _Yea… I disappoint everyone._ Cho thought to herself as they pulled into the Nelson Flats car park. Cho had a very unsure future.


	53. Chapter 53

darkwave390: Darkwave sounds really cool. Thanks for the review, and I'm glad that I was able to pull at your heart strings.:)

imakeeper: Thank you so much for the complement. Fiona is not associated with Marietta and her cronies; she's just someone who also doesn't accept people for her own reasons. You hate Dumbledore? I didn't think that anyone hated him… wow. I wasn't trying to make Cho's father hated, just coming at a difficult problem from his own perspective, even if it's not the best one. Cho was right, she needs to be with her mum, but her father wants to go with her mums wishes that Cho stay in school, and it's not so easy to get back into Hogwarts after an extended leave.

Froggie2: Perhaps in time things will get better for her. Her father was really most upset that the personal family business went all over the school, and then back to him. But he also wants Cho to go back to school. He knows that Cho has great potential in her, but doesn't' t understand her need to deal with things in a certain way. Although his way of handling the stress by burying himself in his work and smoking isn't actually a good idea. I'm working on the back to Hogwarts thing, but it may be a bit. Stay tuned, and thinks for the review.:)

T-person: Thanks very much for the review. If you really want to you can go back and review chapter 51 separately;) Yea, I have a father with bronchitis, and I hate the smell of cigarettes, just another thing for Cho to worry about. I don't know why I do this to her, when I want her to be happy, but stay tuned. You know that when she and Marietta finally have it out (eventually) she's gonna get to let some of that frustration out.;) I hope that the readers have a lot of empathy for Cho, thanks.

Okay everyone here it is Chapter 53. Sorry it took so long. Well I just wanted to leave Cho at home for a while, so I could get back to Hogwarts. I meant to finish that part last chapter, but thanking about it. I left a few things out. Like Cho's scar, and a magic that she has without a wand. I got the idea, while watching "Sorcerers-Philosophers Stone" again, although I usually don't go by the movies. Anyway Harry Makes the glass disappear without a wand, so I wanted Cho to have some magic ability in her at all times, but one that she was not to good at, and reluctant to use. Anyway. Hope that you like it. I will post again soon. Thanks for reading.

**Chapter 53: Home Again**

Cho placed the Fish, noodles and the bowl of Shrimp with Lobster sauce that she had helped her Aunty Ying prepare, on the dining room table, as Aunty Ying set the moon pie that they would have for desert down, next to the decretive cylinder in the center of the table that held several pairs of chopsticks. Cho inhaled the aroma of the meal deep in her nostrils. Cho had a love for Scottish food, even Haggis, but she also had a deep appreciation for the home cooked Chinese meals that her family prepared for her growing up. As wonderful as Scottish food was, she missed those meals, which had their origins in her parents homeland when she was away at Hogwarts, which almost never prepared food outside of the meals common in the United Kingdom and Europe. Aunty Ying saw the pleased expression on Cho's face, as she closed her eyes, and breathed in the sensual odor of the feast, with a light smile.

"To your likening Cho?" Aunty Ying asked in Cantonese, (the language spoken most commonly in the Chang household) with a smile. Cho turned to her aunty.

"Oh yes, I've missed it sooo much. I really envy Sally and Ling; we never get Chinese meals at Hogwarts." Cho said. Aunty Ying giggled a bit.

"Actually Cho, I don't think that they care for my style of cooking too much. You see my mother was from the Hunan prefecture, and that's the style of cooking that she taught me, but honestly… I think that Sally, and Ling much prefer your Uncles, Cantonese style, probably you too I should think. Your mum makes such wonderful meals, I only had the good fortune of eating a couple of times at your place in Motherwell, but the food was second to none." Aunty Ying said happily. Cho smiled a bit wider.

"Yes, she's a wonderful cook, but so are you and I love Hunan style as well. Actually, I've been craving anything Chinese for a while now. I'm just happy to enjoy something different for a change. Hogwarts is great, but it's not known for its international cuisine. Still I remember having as many western style meals here over the summer as Chinese.

"Well, I couldn't give up some nice English Cooking, but actually your Uncle Zhongyu and I have been going out a lot lately, and not eating at home… but I don't think that Sally and Ling have missed our cooking. They've fallen in love with the burgers and chips at Mac Donald's. Funny, a name like that, and they don't sell any Scottish food." Aunty Ying pondered.

"They do at the one in Motherwell, just particular sandwiches that aren't usual to England, but… I don't usually eat there myself. It's still fast food, and I prefer food that has a bit of care and love put into it, Western or Chinese." Cho said. Aunty Ying nodded her agreement and called her own children into eat. Sally and Ling, started filling up there plates, with fish, noodles, and all the other genuine Chinese delicacies that the table had to offer, and grabbed a knife and fork each, leaving the cylinder full of Chopsticks untouched. Once they had put a healthy portion on their plates, they started to head back to Sally's room, but were stopped short by their mothers shout.

"**Just one moment you two, where do you think that you're going? We're going to eat at the table tonight."** Aunt Ying stated. Sally and Ling looked stricken with grief.

"Oh, but mum, were watching telly, it's MTV. Please can't we eat in our room?" Sally protested.

"Yes, please, it's important. A matter of life or death!" Ling put in unconvincingly. Aunty Ying rolled her eyes.

"Your cousin Cho is here again; don't you want to spend some time with her while she's back?" Aunty Ying stated.

"She can come watch with us! Cho you really have to see some of the shows, like the real world! It's about these Americans, and they live in this Luxury flat in San Francisco, which is a city there, and they go on these adventures, and have amazing social lives, and cameras follow them everywhere. They go bungee jumping, and take helicopter tours, and everything. And the cameras follow them everywhere." Sally said in an excited tone.

"Luxury flat? Helicopter tours, and bungee jumping… how do they pay for all this? I have a relative who lives in San Francisco, and the taxes are almost as bad as here." Aunty Ying queried.

"Oh, they have part time jobs for some spending money, but MTV pays for the flat, and electric, and water, and some of the adventures, and all that." Sally explained.

"Hump! Doesn't sound too realistic to me. Why don't they make them pay for all the bills, and have to work full time, now that's realistic." Aunty Ying stated with a tone of disgust. Sally and Ling made more pleads to let them watch the show, and when Cho said that she didn't mind watching it as well, her aunt finally relented. Sally and Ling thanked her and went back to Sally's room after Cho said that she would join them in a moment.

"Well, you might as well take the moon cakes too Cho, just make sure that they both eat their meal before they have this desert, okay?" Her Aunty Ying, stated as Cho nodded happily. Cho had her plate in one hand and tried to take the heavy plate of moon cakes from her Aunty with her other, but a sharp pain, shot through her hand and she watched the cake and plate crumble, and shatter on the floor, as she winched in pain.

"**Owwwww!" **Cho shouted. Then seeing the mess on the floor, looked back up to her Aunt, and gasped. "Oh Aunty… I'm so sorry. I'll clean it up." Cho apologized. As Cho tried to scoop up the cake her Aunt then noticed the large diagonal gash across the palm of Cho's hand that extended to her wrist. Aunt Ying instinctively grabbed Cho's arm, and brought her hand up to her to look at the scar.

"My god Cho, that's a nasty cut! I can't believe that I didn't notice it before; it's so hard to miss. Are you okay?" Cho's aunt asked with sincere concern. Cho turned a shad of red, embarrassed a little.

"I've been hiding it. It looks bad, but it's healing up." Cho said.

"When did you get this, does it hurt?" Her Aunt said putting a little pressure on it.

"**Owwwww!"** Cho shouted, yanking her hand away in pain. Aunty Ying put her hands to her mouth.

"Opps, I'm so sorry Cho, I didn't mean to hurt you!" Aunty Ying stated. Cho gave a slight smile.

"It's okay, it's getting better. I just put a bit to much pressure on it." Cho said massaging the area of the wound. "I cut it on some glass the other day." She finished casually.

"Well maybe you need to see a doctor; it looks like it's opened up a little." Aunty Ying stated from the small stream of blood dripping down Cho's wrist. Cho looked down at it.

"I already got it cleaned at hospital, but do you have a bandage I could use?" Cho asked politely. Aunty Ying smiled.

"Certainly, it's in the bathroom medicine cabinet. Do you need help?" she asked genuinely.

"Thank you, but no thanks… I've had a lot of experience helping to dress wounds." Cho stated, referring to her volunteer work at hospital.

"Well you go to the bathroom and take care of it, I'll take care of the mess, Sally and Ling will want to spend some time with you." Aunty Ying stated.

"I'm really sorry about the mess." Cho said sincerely. Aunty Ying waved her off.

"Don't worry about it, just go take care of your hand, and give Sally, and Ling some company." Aunty Ling said. Cho nodded her thanks, and left to the bathroom.

After bandaging her hand, and explaining to Sally and Ling that she had accidentally cut it through her own clumsiness. She didn't know why she didn't want to tell her family the real story. It would be easy for her father to have held the scar with magic. But it might have meant another row with him, and maybe she just wanted to put the whole thing behind her for now. Cho finished watching the program on the telly, and eating a wonderful Hunan style meal of fish and noodles, that Sally and Ling didn't seem to fond of, Sally and Ling then turned to Cho to ask her questions about what happened at school.

"Did you see Harry Potter again?" Sally asked excited. Cho lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Yea, I saw him." Cho said depressed. After she didn't speak for a moment, Sally pressed her.

"Well, did he say anything to you? What did you two talk about?" Sally continued.

"He's got problems; someone is making him look bad. Setting him up to look like he was doing something wrong." Cho said quietly. Sally and Ling's eyes widened.

"Really! How could they do that? Did they send an anonymous note to the teacher, blaming him?" Ling asked.

"No, he thinks someone named Draco Malfoy has been pretending to be him. Dressing up like him, and attacking people at the Quidditch match, and in a fight with Allen Miller, the head boy, and other times." Cho said, still keeping her eyes to the ground.

"How did the boy make other people think that he was Harry Potter, I mean if he was on the Quidditch pitch then surely many people would have recognized him as someone else, especially his own team." Sally put in.

"Harry reckoned that Malfoy had used Polly Juice Potion. It's a mixture that when adding the DNA of someone to it, and drank by another person causes the person to assume the form of whomever the DNA sample is from. They become an exact copy in physical appearance. Anyway that's what Harry said that he thinks that Malfoy did. So, Harry has problems at school this year." Cho finished.

"That's really sad Cho, but what's DNA?" Ling asked.

"It's the genetic make up of the body. Each person's DNA is specific to them, like no two peoples finger prints are alike. But poly juice potion copy's a persons DNA to someone else, which is why you need something like a strand of hair from the person that you need to copy. Anyway that's what Harry thanks this Malfoy boy has done to frame him." Cho finished.

"Wow, so you and Harry are talking again, that must mean that he's your boyfriend. _Cho's got a boyfriend, Cho's got a boyfriend!" _Ling teased. Cho turned to look at her cousins.

"No, I don't… were not even friends. We didn't really get along this year. We just can't seem to connect. So, when I left, it was already over, permanently." Cho finished.

"You… you mean that you're both enemies now?" Ling asked.

"No Ling, well never be enemies… Harry fights the people who killed Cedric… in a way he'll always be my hero, but… we can't be friends for several reasons that I can't get into. Can we talk about something else, what about your new boyfriend Sally? What was his name, Donald Tran?" Cho asked.

"Oh, my god Donald is sooooo cute, he's the sweetest most romantic guy in the world, and we go somewhere ever other weekend almost. This weekend were going to play miniature golf. His parents live over on Edmonton Street, so it's really close. They're from Vietnam, but he was born here. He's really smart too. He's like the best in his year. Not only that, he's teaching me how to skateboard as well, but I'm not that good yet. Wait, I'll go and get a picture of him!" Sally said excited, and leapt up and ran over to the dresser, returning with the picture of her, and Donald. It was taken at Piccadilly Circus, and he was dressed in baggy paints, and a high school T-shirt, holding a scratched up skateboard in one arm with the other around Sally who was in her school uniform, a black blazer with a red, and blue school crest on the front pocket, and a blue tie. Cho smiled, and looked up at Sally.

"He looks very handsome Sally. I'm glad that he's nice to you. It's good that you have someone in your life." Cho said sincerely. Sally nodded.

"He really is great Cho, and his friends are cool too." Sally said.

"That's great, how are you doing in school Sally?" Cho asked.

"Oh I'm doing average. You know just getting by, school is boring, but there are some great parties at the community center on Friday nights, just after the basket ball game, so at least I have fun then. Look how about Beverly, how is she doing? That was so cool how she turned that stone into a frog at Diagon Alley. You should have her come here to show us some more tricks, or better yet, you can show us Cho! Your seventeen now, and can do magic and it's legal." Ling said excited. Cho looked sad all of a sudden.

"On, no Ling, I can't, I don't have a wand now. I can't do magic anymore." Cho said in an apologetic tone. Sally and Ling instantly looked disappointed.

"Cho, how could you forget your wand, isn't there like some rule that no witch can be without it or something? I guess we could go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and you could by one to use just for here. Errr, how long are you going to stay with us this time, please don't go back to school too soon." Sally stated.

"Yes, we missed you so much, at least stay for a week Cho." Ling added. Cho looked up at her cousins, and tears started to well up in her eyes. She stood up, and walked over to the large window in the room, gazing out at the buildings of London's west end, with her back to her cousins.

"I, um… I'll be staying for a bit longer than that actually." Cho said softly. Sally and Ling looked at each other with excited expressions on their faces, and then returned their gaze to Cho's back.

"That's great Cho. How long until you go back to Hogwarts?" Sally asked. Tears began to fall from Cho' s eyes, as she watched snow start to fall from the sky outside.

"I'm never going back. I'm done with school. I… I just don't have the time, and I was never really good anyway. Hogwarts is for smart witches." Cho continued. Sally and Ling giggled.

"Smart witches? Oh come on Cho, we've never known anyone who's been able to soak up knowledge as much as you have. Anyway you're not serious about leaving school are you?" Ling asked.

"Yea, I… I really don't think that I belong there. Plus I need to take care of mum. I'm going to get a job at the hospital so that I can make some money to help out here, and still be near her." Cho said.

"What… what job will you get there Cho? Will Hogwarts send you a diploma?" Ling asked.

"No, I didn't achieve high enough marks to get one. I'll just have to settle for a job that doesn't require a diploma." Cho said sincerely.

"What type of job will you get Cho?" Sally asked.

"I don't know. I… I've not decided yet. Really, I'll just have to see what's available." Cho said.

"Well not much without a diploma in this economy, I'm afraid." Sally put in. "But Cho, your father talked with us about you growing up. He said that you used to could do magic when you were really little, without a wand. Couldn't you show us just something? Please." Sally begged.

"Oh yes please Cho, we haven't gotten to see magic since Beverly turned the stone into a frog at Diagon Alley. I mean your dad is always working, and never has time to show us anything." Ling added. Cho looked hesitant.

"Well, I don't know, I really don't want to…" Cho started, but was cut off by her cousin's pleadings. Cho gave a great sigh. "Okay, I do know one trick, but that's it okay?" Cho stated.

"Great!" Cho's cousin's shouted in unison.

"Okay, Sally will you clear the lamp off the thee legged little table over there?" Cho requested pointing at a small table, with a single lamp resting on it, that sat in a corner of the room. When Sally had removed the lamp, Cho helped her bring the small table to the middle of the room. The tree stood back, and Cho concentrated looking at the table. She closed her eyes, and thought hard on the table, seeing what she wanted to happen. Cho's hands balled up into fist, and she blocked everything else out of her mind. Suddenly the small table flew across the room, and slammed into the wall with a loud bang, leaving a small hole in the drywall with one of its legs. Cho opened her eyes, and gasped at the sight of the whole. "Damit! I didn't mean to do it that hard." Cho said frustrated.

"**Wow, that was so cool Cho! Do it again."** Sally pleaded.

"**Yes, that was amazing, can we please see it again?"** Ling added.

"No, you guys, I didn't mean to make it do that that hard, I was just trying to knock it over, but I screwed up." Cho said, as she walked over and took the table out of the wall. Suddenly the door opened and Aunty Ying stormed inside.

"**What the bloody hell what that racket?"** She demanded, and then noticed the hole in the drywall beside Cho. **"What… how did that happen." **Aunty Ying demanded. Cho lowered her head to the ground.

"I… it was my fault. Sorry Aunty Ying, it was an accident. I knocked over the table with magic, it won't happen again." Cho said ashamed.

"Oh, well okay Cho, just use your magic to fix the wall, and it'll be okay, but no more throwing stuff around the room, okay?" Aunty Ying replied. Cho nodded.

"Aunty Ying, I won't use anymore magic, but I can't fix the wall. I don't have a wand anymore. Dad could come over and easily fix it. I'm really sorry." Cho stated, very sincerely. Aunty Ying looked really surprised.

"Well if you don't have a wand how could you move it with magic in the first place?" Aunty Ying inquired.

"Well it's just a trick, that I know how to do, I've known for a long time, before I started school. It just got out of hand, I'm really sorry." Cho stated, and she meant it. Aunty Ying nodded.

"Well, alright Cho. I'll have your father come on the weekend and patch it up. Meanwhile, you had all best get ready for bed. Lights out in thirty minutes, Sally and Ling have School tomorrow." Aunty Ying said in a tone of finality, and left the room closing the door behind her. Cho turned to see Sally and Ling looking at her with amazement.

"You… you were able to do that before you even went to Hogwarts Cho… how?" Sally asked wide eyed.

"Well, I don't know. When I was really small, I sometime threw tantrums and did it. But I was to young to remember. That's just what mum and dad told me. Later I did it as a joke to mum and dad. I just some how always knew how to do it. I would knock stuff over, and make them think that their was a poltergeist in the house for a while. Anyway I got to laughing so much after a while that they eventually knew what I was up to. I got in trouble. So I never did it at home again.

"That's amazing Cho. How come you never did that for us before? That can be so useful." Ling put in.

"Well I don't like to do it. Something happened." Cho said in monotone.

"What happened Cho? Tell us." Ling pleaded. Cho was reluctant, but at least they didn't ask about Hogwarts.

"Well remember when I told you that when I was nine, my parents sent me to a Hong Kong school to learn Chinese Calligraphy?" Cho said.

"Do I ever, Mum and Dad were thinking about sending me there too. Fortunately they changed their minds. I hate school, and then they wanted to double the workload on me, by having me learn a whole second written language. I mean, It's not like I'm ever going to live in China." Sally said.

"Yea, well anyway. The school I went to, there were these three older boys picking on this smaller boy in a class. I got mad, and tried to pull them off, of him. But they just knocked me out of the way. I got mad, and I had the idea to throw a desk at the three bully's with my mind. But one thing I never have been able to do is control the force of how I move things. And I can't levitate anything; I can only throw things with my mind. So… I just wanted to scare the boys, and throw the desk a little and I… I threw a desk, But I can't really aim when I do that, still today. I… ended up throwing the desk into the little boy, **hard.** It scared the three boys, and they ran off, but… the boy, his name was Hu, he got crushed hurt by the desk. He went to the hospital. Eventually he was okay, but I felt really bad. Anyway as word got around people looked at me strange, because it was a muggle school and no one had seen anything like that before. I… I think I creeped a lot of people out. I really didn't have any friends there. It was a lonely year, and a half away from everyone. So I really almost never did it again. Anyway I'm probably boring you two, sorry." Cho stated.

"No, not at all." Her cousins protested.

"Anyway, I have to get ready to see mum tomorrow. Goodnight you two. And Sally. It was a good thing to learn Chinese. I was lonely, but I really am glad that I know how to write it. You should consider it." Cho finished.

Cho headed to the bathroom to clean up. Cho was in the hot, steaming shower cleaning up for tomorrow, her father had said that he wanted Cho to start thinking about heading back to Hogwarts, but Cho had only one place to be tomorrow, and that was at hospital beside her mum. She had been away for too long, and she wasn't going to stay away again. She reflected on what job that she could get at hospital without a diploma. She would check on the nursed break room bulletin board tomorrow, she thought. As she began to wash the vanilla scented shampoo out of her eyes, Cho heard a familiar sinister laugh, followed by the flushing of the bathroom toilet, and it was then that she remembered that she had forgotten to lock the bathroom door again. As the Icy cold water hit her, Cho shrieked.

"**Ahhhhhh… Ling, I'm going to kick your arse!"**

**The next morning, Wellington Hospital; Nurses break station:**

Cho sat with Carol and a few of her other hospital friends eating lunch and going over the list of available jobs that were posted on the bulletin board. Carol looked though a paper list of requirements needed for all the jobs at hospital again, trying to find something for Cho. Carol looked up at Cho with a disappointed look on her face.

"I'm sorry Cho, but the only thing that seems to be open without the necessity of a diploma, is a volunteer position." Carol said.

"I'd love to, but I need to make money to help out at home. There must be something that I can do. It has to be here, so I can look in on mum." Cho said. Carol got down to the bottom of the list. If you go back to your school and graduate then there will be more options for you. It'll only take a little more time Cho, half a year." Carlo advised. Cho shook her head.

"No Carol, I have to be here for mum now. I've been away too much already. I have to be here now, please understand." Cho pleaded. Carol nodded.

"I do understand Cho, but the only job available on here without a diploma is janitor, not you don't wan…" Carol began, but was cut off.

"**I'll take it!"** Cho interrupted.

"Oh, come on Cho, Janitor? It doesn't pay very well." Carol stated.

"It'll be enough. And it keeps me here at hospital." Cho said.

"Okay, but I don't do the hiring." Carol said.

"its okay, Dr. Gardiah said that he would help me get on if I could find something that I was qualified. Well this is it." Cho said. Carol looked at the paper again.

"It's not very glorious work fro seven quid an hour Cho." She stated. Cho smiled.

"Neither is working with bedpans, but I did that for free all summer." Cho stated. Everyone in the room had a giggle, and Cho had a job the next day.


	54. Chapter 54

** Chapter 54: Fiona's Party**

**Hogwarts; Transfiguration class:**

Harry was having trouble concentrating on his schoolwork again. He sat in the half-full classroom of students who were taking animangus training, and was going through a large book of possible forms that his animangus might take, he wondered if it might be a stag, like his father's. Is that what he wanted? Actually Harry wanted his own animangus, something unique to him. But what would he become?

_Think Harry, what could you be? An Owl? I could talk with other owl, and find out about secret post that they were caring... but no, who actually tells an owl what the post is? Almost no one. A phoenix perhaps? It would mean that I could fly, and lift a lot of weight, and my tears could heal others, and that I could never be permanently killed in that form. But then again, the whole burning thing looks painful regardless, and there are so few Phoenixes to talk to in that form. Think Harry, what could you be? A bug of some type, like Rita Skeeter? It would certainly be a good way to go around unnoticed, and I could escape from dire situations through small openings. But no, I don't want to be a bug. What about something fierce like a lion? No, If anyone ever was looking to get me, they would know that I was a lion, and there are not really any lions outside of zoos in the UK to hide in a community like that. Maybe a snake, after all I speak parcel tong, and I could be poisonous, and bite Voldermort, injecting him with poison… but no; the Dark Lord is to powerful to succumb to a simple snake venom, and I can use magic to defeat him anyway. _Harry thought to himself. He flipped through the pages of creatures again from the beginning again, now on the B's.

_I need to be something powerful, something that could really hurt Voldermort, oh if only people were able to choose their animangus. I could take on the form of a bear … that could be it. I could be a bear and rip him to shreds… nooo, I couldn't use a wand while that, or any creature. It has to be one so powerful that I don't need a wand. _Harry thought as the final bell to let out school sounded. Harry walked over to Professor McGonagall's desk where she was grading the work of some second years.

"Professor McGonagall, Is there anyway to choose your animangus?" Harry asked. Professor McGonagall looked up at him, curiously.

"No Mr. Potter there is no way to choose your animangus. You usually become whatever your personality is."

"Well, my father was a stag, so that's what I'll probably be, right?" Harry asked sincerely.

"Not really Mr. Potter, you could possible be, but it's not definite. We won't know until you change into whatever it will be, but that won't be for a couple of months. We want to make sure that you do it right, and not just half form into something, that can be difficult to fix. We once had a seventh year in hospital for three days because he tried to become his animangus without the proper studying. He had half formed himself to have the head of a wolf, and body of a boy. Dumbledore eventually got him straitened out, but it was an example of why it's important not to rush things like this.

"I see, well I promise not to rush things then Professor, but a few months seems a bit long." Harry replied.

"Well that's standard time Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall finished.

"Professor, did you know that your animangus was a cat before you had become it, physically." Harry asked. Professor McGonagall shook her head.

"No Mr. Potter, as I said, no one knows until they become it." Professor McGonagall said. Harry nodded, thanked the Professor for her time, and returned to his seat next to Ron. Harry looked at an empty space on the bench next to Ron for a moment with a sad expression on his face.

"It really sucks that Hermione didn't want to take this class with us Ron." Harry said. Ron lowered his eyes.

"Yea, I tried to ask her, but she's still not talking to me. It's not fair, I miss the days of the three of us hanging out. It would be so much better. That girl holds a grudge for too long. How is she going to act when she comes over to my place for Christmas holiday?" Ron said. Harry looked at him blankly.

"What do you mean Ron. What do you mean when she comes over for Christmas holiday." Harry asked bewildered.

"Well she's going to come over to our place for Christmas holiday, we talked about it over the summer." Ron said.

"Err… Ron, that's not what I heard, I heard that Hermione was going to Romania this Christmas." Harry said. Ron looked at him with a surprised expression.

"What, were did you hear that?" Ron asked.

"Well from Hermione, she's going to visit Victor Crumb." Harry said. A loud crack was heard across the room as Ron slammed his fist down on the wooden desk, his face contorted in anger. Everyone looked at him for a moment, and he felt embarrassed. Professor McGonagall stood up at her desk.

"Is there a problem Mr. Wesley?" she asked.

"Ummm, no Professor, sorry, there was just a spider on my desk, and I had to kill it." Ron said.

"Well if there are anymore of them, be sure and kill them more quietly Mr. Wesley." The professor said. Ron nodded, embarrassed.

The school bell finally rang, and Ron and Harry made there way to the Great Hall to eat dinner.

"That little… **_Ahhhhh_**… I hate her!" Ron said full of rage as they walked down the hall. Harry followed close behind.

"Look Ron, I thought you didn't mind her dating someone else. You said you were okay with it." Harry stated. Ron stopped dead in his tracks and spun around, pointing a finger at Harry.

"Not him Harry, not Victor the Crumb, anyone else is okay, but I hate that Victor the Crumb." Ron shot.

"You used to be one of his biggest fans." Harry stated.

"Yea, _used_ to be. He's not so good; he lost the world cup to the Irish didn't he. Hermione's just using him to make me jealous, well I'll show her. I'm going to be all over my date tonight at the party." Ron said hotly.

"The Party?" Harry asked. Ron looked over to him and smiled.

"Fiona's party, its tonight is up. I'm going with Rebecca Jones. She's a Slytheren in our year." Ron stated. Harry was a bit taken off guard.

"You're going with a Slytheren? Why? And I hope she's not related to Beverly Jones, the Ravenclaw girl." Harry intoned with disapproval. Ron chuckled, having calmed down suddenly.

"Your going with a Slytheren too Harry, and I imagine Rebecca could be related to Beverly Jones somewhere down the line. You know the joke; every other person from Wales is named Jones." Ron laughed.

"What about Luna, or that Huffelpuff girl Ron? What happened to them?" Harry asked.

"I told you that I didn't want a committed relationship right now Harry. I'm just getting to know several girls; I've got plenty of time for a commitment later. But for now, I'm just trying to have fun. No harm in it." Ron stated. "Anyway, I think that the party's going to go over well." Ron said.

"Hermione's going to be there; if she brings a date won't it be awkward for you two?" Harry asked logically. Ron waved it off.

"If she comes with a date that's not some pompous Romanian git, I'll be happy for her, that's what my whole point was about, just casually dating for a time, and then later we can both get serious. We'll end up together eventually." Ron finished, as they both entered the Great Hall.

**Much Later that night: A cleared out classroom, in an out of the way area: **

The party was in full swing, and Harry had to admit that it was really good, especially since he had found out that Fiona had not invited Draco Malfoy just for him. There were bright banners in every house color, and plenty of food, music, and butter beer, as well as some stronger beverages. Some of the students were dancing to the music of the Weird sisters, Neville amongst them, others were busy at tables that were pushed against the wall intamently snogging. Many students were chatting away in small groups, as Harry walked by a few of them, and some of the students congratulated him on his victory at the ministry, and others asked for his autograph, which he was happy to provide. _How things have changed, I never thought that I would enjoy my fame; I always shied away from it. But that was before last year, before I was considered the enemy, a danger by so many of these people who now shake my hand and want to have the privilege of talking to me. When I first came here this year, almost the entire school was against me. _Harry thought to himself. Then he spied one group of mostly Hufflepuffs including Emit Walsh standing with Beverly Jones, and Allen Miller. They were chatting with each other and giving Harry dirty looks. As popular as he was, his popularity was fading. _Please don't let it be like last year again… not again. _

Harry looked over in a corner of the room to see Hermione sitting with Katie Bell, watching Ron, who was Snogging with Rebecca Jones in front of them, and being very obvious about it. Hermione had come to the party alone, and was staring at Ron with Dagger eyes, not slightly impressed or amused, but with a very jealous look on her face, which is exactly what Ron probably had in mind. Harry walked up to Ron, and asked to speak with him in private for a moment. Ron excused himself, and Rebecca took the opportunity to go dance to a song from the weird sisters with another Gryffindor Boy.

"What's up Harry?" Ron asked with a slight slur in his voice, his breath smelling of something stronger than butter beer.

"Well I… Ron what have you been drinking?" Harry asked. Ron slapped Harry playfully on the back.

"Why I've had a bit of wine, Chteau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac to be exact. You know there are tons of the stuff in the wine cellar here. Fiona is blackmailing some drunken house elf to get it, or bribing, or something. Anyway it's great stuff… I've had… hic… most of thissss bottle. Harry was really surprised, Ron had never had anything stronger than butter beer before.

"Ron… why are you drunk?" Harry asked seriously. Ron looked around and waved his arms.

"Hey Harry, is this a party or what? You know, I'm going to propose a toast to Hermione, and Victor the Crumb, and they can go and stay in Eastern Europe and live happily ever after, you see Harry. Dumblelbumble, err, Dumbledore was wrong, you can't trust those Eastern Europeans, they steal Harry, they still your girls. We don't need to… hic to have more cooperation between them and us. Hermione's here alone tonight, because she's Victor's boyfriend." Ron said in a slur.

"I think that you mean that Hermione's Victor's girlfriend Ron." Harry said with a smirk.

"Yea, that too. You see Harry She's just trying to piss me off, and don't tell her but its working, Soooo I'm making out in front of her every chance that I get so she'll cut it out and speak to me again when she gets jealous." Ron said pleased with himself.

"Look Ron that's what I wanted to talk with you about. I don't think that that's a good idea. You're just going to piss her off. I'll talk to her again, she still loves you know, why you go out with her you know exclusively. You've gone out with, well other girls now." Harry put in. Ron shook his head with a smile.

"No, that's not how it's going to be. Look, I told you that we have plenty of time for that. That's why I don't have a problem with her dating other guys." Ron slurred.

"What about Victor the… err I mean, what about Victor Crumb?" Harry asked.

"That's different; he's trying to steal her from me permanently. I'll make her jealous though, I'll have her begging to come back to me, or else she can move over to Romoslavia with Victor the Crumb." Ron stated annoyed.

"It's actually Romania Ron." Harry corrected him.

"Whatever, she can go there and live with all the bloody Romans. I don't give a toss. But… hic … she had better come back to me eventually, or we're finished, and I don't want that. Anyyyyyyy way I have to get back to my date, and make out in front of Hermione." Ron stated.

"Ron, don't you miss the times that the tree of us used to hang out together? You know the adventures that we used to have as a trio." Harry asked.

"Of course I do Harry, but I'm not the one who's refusing to hang out with her, am I? I still want to hang out. It's Hermione that's the prudish one in all of this, she is the one that is being a total bitch about all this. She kept bringing up Victor the Crumb all summer. I thought that she wanted to be with me? Well if she wants Victor the Crumb, than she can have him. Hump! Good luck with him managing all her nagging, and such " Ron shot. Harry's eyes stated to widen, and his mouth dropped open.

"Err Ron… don't say anymore." Harry started, seeing Hermione walk up behind Ron.

"No, listen Harry, she's been nagging at me about it before, and now she's telling people how she's going to visit him in Romania, well I don't care if she goes, those two deserve each other."

"**So I nag do I Ron!" **Hermione shot. Ron turned around surprised that Hermione was behind him, but he was a bit tipsy, and not apt to say the proper thing, _well not even when he was sober_. Harry thought.

"**That's right, you nag, and your new boyfriend isn't going to put up with it too long is he? So your going to Rome with him this Christmas are you? You said that you were going to stay with me! That makes you a liar, don't it." **Ron shouted.

"**Well I didn't think that you would notice me gone, figured that you would have one of your harem of girlfriends along with you, so you'd forget all about me, and not pay attention to me, and it's Romania, not Rome, can't you ever read a map." **Hermione shot back.

"**What girlfriends, I don't have any girlfriends. I'm just casually dating. At least I'm not planning a committed relationship in another country with some Slavic git. At least I plan to come back to you after I've been casually dating for a while." **Ron shouted back. Harry looked around at the room full of people who were now focused on the argument.

"Look you two can we do this later?" I mean people are starting to stare.

"**Victor Crumb is a wonderful man, and he knows how to pay attention to a girl, and not ignore her all the time. And Romanian's are Latin, not Slavic, now who's the stupid git, Ron!" **Hermione said, ignoring Harry's plea.

"Whatever, you're the one who refuses to hang out with us, this is all on you." Ron said gritting his teeth, trying to calm down. For a moment the two of them just looked at each other both filled with jealous rage. Then Rebecca Jones walked up to Ron and shook his arm.

"Hey, I thought you were here with me. Ron looked up at her and gave a forced smile.

"Your right, I am. Sorry, I was just having a chat with… well it's not important." Ron cut off. He then turned to look at Hermione, one last time. "Come on Rebecca, lets get out of here, I've got a romantic spot in another classroom to show you." Ron said, and left the room in a huff pulling on Rebecca's arm. Harry could see Hermione was about to be in tears.

"Look, Hermione… Ron really does want to be with you. He just wants to explore things first. He just told me before you walked up that he wanted to be with you, but he needed more time. It hasn't been that long. Maybe he's right. Maybe you should start casually dating other guys here for a while, and not get so serious about Victor. Ron's not going to end up with another girl permanently, and when he's ready, he'll want to be with you for the rest of his life. I promise. But your jealously is really making things difficult for him. It's driving him away." Harry cautioned sympathetically. Hermione wiped her eyes.

"I… I don't want to drive him away Harry, but how am I supposed to feel when he's snogging right in front of me?" Hermione choked out. Harry nodded.

"Your right, I will talk to him about that Hermione. I promise. He just felt that you were trying to make him jealous by talking about Victor all this time." Harry said.

"I am trying to make him jealous Harry, I want him to pay more attention to me." Hermione stated.

"Then why don't you just go out with him Hermione, put your jealousy aside, and just be in the moment with him for one date. Maybe being with you when your not nagging at him about other girls, and seeing how much that you care about him will make him realize what he's been missing with you. Making him jealous of Victor certainly isn't working." Harry added. Hermione took a minute to think about it, and then nodded her head.

"Your right Harry. I should go out with him. I have to get him to stop paying attention to other girls, and… I guess that the only way to do that is to go out with him. Hermione hugged Harry. Thank you Harry for listening, and giving me advice. Harry hugged her back for a moment.

"No problem Hermione, I know you two are going to be together eventually, but for now, why don't you go dance with someone else as well, Neville looks like he could use a partner as well." Well Harry finished. Hermione smiled at him, and went off to ask Neville to dance. Soon after Fiona walked up to Harry, putting her arms around him, and began kissing him passionately on the neck. Harry was suddenly very aroused, and he closed his eyes to relax in the pleasure of Fiona's embrace, when suddenly…

"**Owww!" **Harry shouted, as he jerked away. He looked at Fiona stunned.

"What's wrong Harry?" Fiona asked. Harry felt his neck, and looked at his hand. There was no blood. He looked back up at Fiona.

"You, you bit me!" Harry said in shock. Fiona gave him a sensual smile.

"It was just a nibble, didn't you like it?" Fiona said seductively. Harry thought about it for a moment.

"Well… yea, but… you just caught me off guard. I didn't know that you were going to do it. That's all." Harry said. Fiona kissed Harry lovingly on the lips for a moment, and then pulled away.

"Oh you'll find I'm full of surprises Harry. I'm going to be the best girlfriend that you ever had, and I promise you're going to enjoy every minute of it." Fiona said starting smiling. "Now, speaking of surprises, I have one for you. Close your eyes, and open your mouth Harry." Fiona said in a sensual tone.

"Why?" Harry asked curious.

"Just do it. You'll see." She continued, and reached into her pocket for something. Harry did as she requested and felt her put something in his mouth that tasted of strawberries. " Okay open your eyes and swallow Harry, here wash it down with this." Fiona said offering him a goblet of butter beer." Harry did so, as Fiona smiled approvingly.

"Well… do you feel anything? How did it taste?" She asked happily.

"Feel anything? What do you mean? You gave me a strawberry didn't you? Harry queried. Fiona giggled.

"Ha, I did it. Actually I gave you something a little stronger than that. It's a pleasure potion, and I charmed it to taste like strawberries. Do you feel any different yet?" Fiona asked. Harry's face turned red, and he suddenly had an angry look on his face.

"Fiona! How could you give me something like that, without telling me. What if I…" Harry started, but Fiona interrupted him.

"Relax Harry, you know I wouldn't give you anything to hurt you. Look, it's going to make you feel very good, don't you feel anything yet? " Fiona asked.

"No!" Harry said visibly upset at not being told what he had been given.

"Well you will any second now. I call these little treats strawberry lust drops. I'm going to sell them to earn a little extra cash for Hogsmead shopping trips.

"Look Fiona, I don't think…" Harry started, but stopped short. Suddenly he began to feel lightheaded. The noise of the room faded in the distance, and the shapes of everyone became blurs. Harry felt a smile come across his face, and giggled a little. Fiona looked at him with a smirk.

"Now doesn't that feel good Harry Poo?" she asked in a deep echoing voice. Harry giggled again.

"What… what did you do to me… hee hee hee." Harry snickered, as he became more aroused, and started feeling very romantic. Fiona kissed him on the cheek, and he passionately kissed her back. He looked at Fiona, she was more beautiful to him now than he had ever seen anyone before. She was a goddess, and he wanted to make love to her at that moment. Every hormone in Harry was raging out of control, and he wanted to be with Fiona for the rest of his life.

"Relax baby, I promise, your going to enjoy the trip, just be in the moment. Now come on, I have another surprise for you."

"Okay baby, I love you sooo much." Harry said kissing her on the cheek.

Fiona started to lead Harry by the arm towards the door leading out of the classroom. As they opened, it Luna Lovegood fell into the room. It seems that she had been leaning on the door with her ear pressed against it. Fiona looked at her with a frown.

"Well, well what have we here, a spy? Were you going to tell one of the masters on us for our little get-together Lovegood?" Fiona said in a mocking tone. Luna got up from the floor.

"Um, no. A few of the people from my house started sneaking out, and I wanted to find out where they were going. I didn't know that there was a party going on tonight." Luna said embarrassed.

"Yes, well there was a reason for that. It's a private get together, by invitation only." Fiona said, with an unhappy look on her face. Luna looked the room over for a minute.

"There certainly are a lot of people in here. Looks like you've invited half the school." Luna said astonished.

"Well Luna, your certainly welcome to come in and…" Harry started in a giggling voice, but was cut off.

"**No she's not Harry.** It's by invitation only. Now you promised me. You promised that you would spend time with her later. You're spending time with me now, right Harry?" Fiona said, giving Harry a look that he should agree with her. Harry gave a great sigh.

"Look Fiona, I…" he started, unable to stop smiling and looking at her with loving eyes, and still dizzy but Fiona started rubbing her leg against his crouch, causing him to stammer.

"Harry, please… you can see her tomorrow. I have something… personal to show you." Fiona said in a sensual tone, giving Harry a pleading look. Harry wanted to tell Luna to come in, but he was lost in the moment of Fiona's seduction. He glanced over at a confused looking Luna Lovegood.

"Um, Luna… look, she did say it was by invitation only. I'll make sure that you're invited to the next party, I promise. It's just that it's full up here. I'll talk with you about it tomorrow. Luna had a look of hurt on her face that sent knots in Harry's stomach. Fiona saw this, and moved her hand down to Harry's crouch, unzipping his pants, and giving him a flirtatious look. Harry couldn't think strait, the potion and Fiona's flirting were effecting his judgment. _What am I doing? Luna is my friend. I'll make it up to her tomorrow. I promise. _Luna cast her eyes down to the floor for a minute, looking very depressed all of a sudden.

"Is um… is Ron here Harry?" Luna asked. Harry was to ashamed of what he was doing to look at Luna again.

"He um… he left early." Harry said. A couple of students then walked up to Harry and the girls. Harry recognized them as Jeremy Stretton, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, and Cho's blond haired friend from the day that they went looking for Padma Patel, though he couldn't remember her name. The girl looked at Luna with a smile.

"Hey Luna, come on in, and have some fun." Nancy said in a happy tone.

"Luna was just leaving actually!" Fiona quipped. Then she looked up at Harry. "Isn't that right Harry." Then Fiona brought her mouth up to Harry's ear. "You promised, Harry, and were wasting time. I have something I want to do for you in private. Don't you want me? You can have me now, just send her away." Fiona said. Harry's blood was rushing. He had never been with a girl, and now it looked like he was going to get his chance. He knew that he had a massive erection, and he didn't want to stay at the party because of it. He had never felt that he was this close before, never felt so intense, and it was clouding his better judgment. He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth despite the guilty feeling that was raging in his stomach. He still couldn't look at Luna.

"That's… that's right. She… she was… just leaving." Harry said. Luna had a look of utter disappointment on her face.

"Fine… later Harry." Luna said softly. She started out the door in a rush.

"**Luna!" **Harry shouted. She spun around to look at him.

"I'm really sorry, I'll explain everything later. I promise." He exclaimed. Luna rolled her eyes.

"Don't bother Harry." And walked off. Harry looked at Stretton and the girl that was with him. They did not fully understand what was going on, but both gave him disapproving looks, and headed back to the dance floor. Harry overheard the girl saying that she would talk to Luna later. Fiona lead Harry off out of the classroom, down the hall to another classroom, the one used for Charms class. When Fiona had closed the door behind her, Harry grabbed hold of her arm, spinning her around.

"**Owww, what the**… Harry that hurt." Fiona said winching in pain.

"You want to explain what that was all about Fiona?" Harry said. Fiona jerked her arm out of Harry's grasp.

"Look, there are just certain people that I don't want to associate with Harry. People who have a bad reputation in this school. Luna is one of the people who lots of students make fun of, and I'd just rather not have that stigma around me. I shouldn't be forced to be friends with her." Fiona said rubbing her arm that bore a red rash from where Harry had grabbed it so hard.

"Fiona, Luna's a very nice girl, if you would just get to know her, than you would see that for yourself. I feel so bad about what I just did. Well it's never going to happen again. I'm going to apologize to her and then you're going to give her a chance. Do you understand me?" Harry said in a hostile tone. Fiona walked up to him, and leaned against him. She then unzipped his pants and then slowly bent down to her knees, pulling the pants, and his underwear down to his ankles, revealing his excitement and the anticipation of what was to come next. Harry was so nervous, that he was shaking. Fiona looked up at him with a sensual expression on her face.

"Now, Harry do you think that we could forget about what happened at the party for a while, and have some fun? I mean don't you love me?" Fiona asked.

"Su… sure Fiona. I… I think that… **oh god!" **Harry shouted in ecstasy, forgetting all his problems at the time, every thing was a blur now except the moment, and the moment was amazing. His first sexual encounter past a kiss. It felt good… actually it felt bloody great.

Hours later, after it was over Harry found himself lying on a table with Fiona in a sort of after glow to the whole thing. He had been stressed out before, but now not so much. It was not just a sexual release for him, but… one that seemed to relieve a lot of tension as well. After Fiona had gone down on him, she preformed a charm with her wand that produced a magical blanket on a table in the room and the two of them had had sex with each other, Harry wasn't very good at it because he kept doing things wrong, and was clumsy, but Fiona had been patient with him, and showed him a few things. Apparently she was experienced to some degree, and he was happy about it, because her instruction made it less awkward for him. Harry's guilt about Luna had subsided for now, and he promised that he would make up for it later. But now he simply enjoyed lying next to his new girlfriend, who had just made him so very happy. The drug was wearing off now, and Harry had a headache that was excruciatingly painful. He dressed, woke Fiona, and waited for her to get dressed herself. Soon they stood at the door, and Harry said goodbye to Fiona, kissed her goodnight and returned to the Gryffindor tower. He entered his room to find his roommates already back from the party and fast asleep, except for Seamus who was away as usual. It took him some time to get to sleep because of the headache, but he finally managed, promising himself that he would apologize to Luna and make it up to her tomorrow before he did.


	55. Chapter 55

Hello again everyone,

Well here it is chapter 55. Sorry that it took so long, but live has been pretty hectic for me lately. I'm going to try and finish the story before the movie comes out. A movie I don't want to go see for two reasons. #1 All the Cho haters will be booing every sceen she is in, and #2 They have made Cho the sneak in the movie. I found out that Cho will be in the last book, but I have a feeling that they will make her evil, and kill her off or have her spend the rest of her life in Azkaban. JK what are you doing?! Anyway here is chapter 55, not that good, but I hope to improve in the next couple of chapters.

**Chapter 55: The Reuniting of the Trio**

Harry stood under the hot shower in the griffendor bathroom trying to wake him-self up. He had the worst headache that he could ever remember short of his scar burning when he was in danger from Voldermort, and he guessed that it was a side effect from the drug that Fiona had given him at the party last night. _The Party! _Harry thought. _How will I explain what happened to Luna. Will she ever forgive me? I can't say that I would blame her if she didn't. I was so stupid. But it won't happen again. I hope that she will still speak to me again. _Harry reflected on the night before, everything was not to clear after the drug had taken effect. The sensation of it was pleasing, and perhaps took some of his better wits away from him. Now he was completely aware of himself, and how he had treated his good friend Luna. Now he was feeling a deep pain of guilt.

Later Harry found himself in the great hall. He glanced over at the Gryffindor table to see Ron and Hermione together talking to each other, both with smiles on their faces, and for a moment he wondered if he was having a dream. Harry sat next to them and they both looked at him happily.

"I've decided to take your advice Harry. I've agreed to start dating Ron casually, and not complain about him dating other girls on the promise that at the end of the school year he will commit to me for a permanent relationship. And we have also agreed that we will be breaking off any relationships with anyone that the other considers a threat to the future commitment." Hermione finished.

"Which means Hermione will not be going to Eastern Europe to see Victor the Crumb." Ron said happily.

"Ron honestly, he's not a crumb, he's still a nice boy, and now that you know that he's not a threat you can be his fan again." Hermione said irritated by Ron's stab at her friend. "But the also means that Ron will not be taking Luna Lovegood to the Yule Ball. We're going together, and Ron isn't going to be going out with her again, which means that Luna and I can be friends again, and I'm really glad for it too. What do you think Harry, it's going to be great to have us all together again isn't it?" Hermione asked excited.

"Well yes of coerce, that's great. We've been missing you Hermione." Harry said with a wide grin. But has anyone told Luna yet?" Harry asked. Ron suddenly frowned. Well no, but you know I kind of told her that I wasn't looking for a commitment, so she'll be okay with it." Ron stated.

"Well yes, but you also made plans to go with her to the Yule Ball. How are you going to explain to her that you're not taking her anymore? That's bound to hurt her feelings." Harry put in. Ron had a look of confusion on his face.

"Um, there's plenty of time before the Yule Ball, so she'll have enough time to find a date by then Harry. I'm sure that she won't take it too hard. Besides, we'll still be friends, so it'll all work out. I'm not sure what I'm going to tell her exactly, but I'll think of something." Ron said, not very sure of himself.

Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw table that was not completely full of other students. Luna was sitting alone, close to the end, staring at her food, with a depressed look on her face. _I'm not sure what I'm going to say either. _He thought to himself. Harry excused himself from the table, telling Ron and Hermione that he would meet them later. He walked up to the Ravenclaw table, behind Luna, like Ron not exactly sure of what he would say to her. But he had to think of something, the guilt that he felt at how he treated her was twisting his stomach in knots.

"Luna, could I speak to you for a few minutes please?" Harry asked politely. Luan looked up at him for a moment, and then glared back to her untouched bowl of oatmeal. She gave a great sigh.

"Go away Potter, I've nothing to say to you." Luna said emotionlessly. Harry hung his head low, his eyes to the floor in shame.

"Luna, I can't begin to tell you how sorry that I am. I would never do anything to hurt you…" Harry started but steeped back as Luna spun around, stood up, and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"But you _did_ hurt me Harry. You hurt me bad. You let your girlfriend belittle me, and you laughed at me as well. How do you think that that makes me feel?" Luna shot back at Harry.

"Luna, please… I wasn't myself last night. I was… under the influence of a drug that Fiona gave me. I like you, you're my friend, and I would never have hurt you… I mean it! I'd give anything to take it back. Please." Harry pleaded sincerely. Luna gave him a disapproving look.

"Oh, so what your on drugs now? That's stupid. Why are you taking drugs Harry?"

"I'm not, I just… I didn't know what she was giving me, it was made to taste like a strawberry, and I never saw her put it in my mouth." Harry said embarrassed. Luna still gave him a cold look.

"And were you under the influence of a drug when you didn't invite me to your party? How long did you have to ask me to go to the party Harry. You're my friend, and you invited half the school, but not me."

A tear fell from Harry's eye, and he gave a great sigh. "It wasn't my party Luna, and I asked Fiona to invite you, but she… she doesn't like you, and I just thought that I could spend time with you by myself. I was going to make it up to you. I still am going to make it up to you. That's what I came over here to tell you. That, and to beg your forgiveness." Harry said sincerely.

"It doesn't matter if it was your party or not. I'm your friend Harry. I was your friend last year, when not to many people were, and if your girlfriend has a problem me than that's one thing, but when you laugh at me that's something else entirely." Luna quipped.

"I know Luna your right, but the only reason I was laughing is because I was under the influence of the strawberry lust drop drug. Which I regret taking because if I hadn't I would have made sure that Fiona let you into the party, Luna please. I promise that I'll have a talk with Fiona, and if she doesn't accept you as my friend, than she and I are finished. I promise." Harry said in a serious tone. Luna's eyebrow raised at this, and she appeared in deep thought for a moment.

"Do you really mean that Harry? Would you really break up with your girlfriend if she doesn't accept me?" Luna asked.

"Well if she doesn't want to hang out with you than I cannot force her, but if she wants us to stay together than things are going to have to change. She's going to have to give you a chance. I'm not embarrassed to hang out with you, and I don't think that anyone should be. And again, like I said, if I had not been high last night, and my judgment not clouded, I would have made a better decision." Harry said sincerely. A smile started to come across Luna's face, and she nodded her head. Harry extended his hand hoping that Luna would take it. "So are we still friends Luna?" He asked nervously. Luna gave him a sudden hug, and her smiled grew even larger.

"Still friends Harry. And look, if your girlfriend doesn't want to befriend me that's okay, I just would like to be invited to your party, especially if Ron is going to be there.

"Okay, but why especially if Ron is going to be there?" Harry asked.

"Because Harry I really like Ron, and I'm starting to have very intimate feelings for him. You know I think that he wants me to be in a committed relationship with him. We've been spending enough time together, and he did invite me to the Yule Ball. I really have been waiting for him to come out and say it, but I'm going to have to be the one who ask him for a commitment. I'm going to bring it up after classes today. I can't wait. I know that he said that he just wanted to casually date, but I can just feel that we've become so much closer than that." Luna said to Harry's horror. He fumbled for his next words.

"Um, Luna look maybe Ron's still not… ready for a commitment… uh, just yet. And the Yule Ball thing… did, err I mean have you… anyone else that… you might… err want to take you?" Harry asked nervously. Luna gave a laugh.

"Of corse not Harry. Why would I want to go with anyone but Ron, I mean You know that he asked me out weeks ago. Harry's face turned somber, and Luna noticed.

"Harry… did Ron… say anything to you?" Luna asked suddenly a bit uncomfortable. Harry suddenly gave a mock smile.

"Um, no not at all. Um, I just wondered who any of the other boys you would have gone out with were, just out of curiosity. That's all." Harry lied to save Luna's feelings.

"Well you had such a sad look just then is why I ask." Luna said. Harry held his stomach.

"Oh that, well…. It's not really a sad look as much as a hurt one. You see I don't think that breakfast agreed with me today, that's all." Harry said. Luna nodded.

"You might want to go see Madam Pomfrey if it gets too bad Harry." Luna said attempting to be helpful. Harry nodded politely and excused himself, he had to go see Ron before Ron saw Luna, and get Ron to really be careful about giving Luna the bad news. Harry really didn't want to see her hurt again.

The bell to get to class started to ring, just as Harry was about to walk up to Ron and Hermione, but he was stopped short by a tapping on the shoulder from behind. Harry turned around to face the acting Head Master.

"Professor McGonagall, what can I do for you?" He asked her politely.

"Mr. Potter, you need to report to the Head Masters office now." She said casually.

"Me? I didn't do anything." Harry protested.

"No one said you did, but it's important that you go there and speak with him." The professor said in a serious tone.

"Dumbledore's back." Harry asked surprised. The professor nodded.

"He is, and this meeting between the two of you has been far too long in coming Mr. Potter. Tell him everything you need to. He's waiting for you now." The Professor said. Harry looked back at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione had already left for class. He then turned back to Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, I just need to tell Ron something first. Then I'll go and see Dumbledore right away." Harry said more requesting than stating. Professor McGonagall shook her head.

"No Mr. Potter you have to go see the Head Master first, you can chat with your friends after class." The professor said in a tone of finality.

"Professor please, it's important. I'll just have to go to class and talk with him for a second. It's vitally important." Harry said with a growing sense of urgency.

"Mr. Potter is this about your scar, or you know who?" Professor McGonagall asked in a whisper. Harry shook his head,

"No professor it's a private matter, but I have to talk to Ron before last period, or before he runs into… someone." Harry said.

"I'm sure that you will be back in plenty of time to tell Mr. Weasley whatever it is you need to Mr. Potter, but in the meantime you need to see Albus… err the Head Master. Now please be on your way." The professor instructed. Harry stood fast.

Professor, can I at least give you a note to give to Ron before I go. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't so very important. It would just take a moment. Please." Harry pressed. Professor McGonagall sighed.

"Very well Mr. Potter. But be quick about it. I'll hand it to a prefect who is going by Mr. Wesley's herbology class, but that is the best that I can do. Now where is the note?" The professor asked a little impatiently. Harry produced a quill and piece of parchment from his robe, and turned to the table behind him flatting the parchment out on the surface. He then scribbled a small note, and folded it. After that Harry took out his wand from his pocket, and waved it in an up and down motion magically producing a small envelope out of thin air, something that he had learned in charms class the week before, and placed the envelope inside. Finally Harry wrote form Harry to Ron on the cover and handed it to Professor McGonagall. "Now you must hurry Mr. Potter, you don't want to keep Dumbledore waiting do you?" Suddenly an offended look came across Harry's face.

"Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore has kept _me_ waiting all this time, I think that he can stand to wait a few minutes more. It's not like he rushed to make contact with me from the start did he?" Harry started. An entire summer cut off from…"

"That's enough Mr. Potter! Dumbledore has been very busy fighting against You-Know-Who, and I will not stand here and let you blame him for not being there to talk to you this year, when he faced circumstances beyond his control. Go see him now, and let him explain why he had to be away. He's wanted to see you for a long time, but has not had the opportunity until today. There is much he wants to explain to you about so many things. Now go immediately Mr. Potter, the password is crunchy frog." The Professor said in an irritated tone.

Harry finally arrived at the large stone gargoyle and gave the password. Once it opened, he walked slowly through the entranceway to the two large doors. He looked to his right to see Fawkes fast asleep on his perch, and the sorting hat on it's shelf also appeared to be in a state of slumber. I didn't know that it slept. Harry thought. His attention then went back to the doorway in front of him. How often had he visited the office beyond the door? Very often, and Dumbledore had in the past revealed many things to him. But last summer things had changed, and Dumbledore had become more standoffish. He had denied Harry access to important things that he needed to know, and it continued up to now. Harry wasn't sure how he felt about seeing Dumbledore again. On the one hand he would finally get to ask all the questions that had been plaguing him for so long, and let him know of the odd happenings at Hogwarts in his absence. On the other hand Harry was still angry at him for the second summer without any real communication, and Dumbledore not being there for Sirius funeral amongst other things.

Come in Harry. The voice was weak, and not vocal, but in Harry's mind. Harry knew it to be genuine all the same, and put a hand on the door knob. Professor McGonagall was right, this meeting had been to long in coming, it was now a time for answers he thought, as he pushed open the door.


	56. Chapter 56

Jo: I found out that Cho will be the sneak through a sight called thee Leaky Cauldron, supposedly one of JK's favorite sights. I just have a feeling that Cho will be made to be bad or to die in book seven, but the Leaky caldron sight definitely said she will be there. I personally don't want to be around for it. Just adds to my already massive problems.

Thanks to everyone who has kept with me so far. I don't know if I will finish this story now… I'm going to try as best I can. If I don't end up finishing, I'm very sorry, but you can just imagine a happy ending for Harry and Cho. Funny thing is this was supposed to be three pages long when I started. It's going to be finished by July or not at all. You've all kept me going and I'm grateful. I'll do my best. This is not filler. But I don't think that I captured the essence of Dumbledore very well. Next chapter should be better I hope.

**Chapter 56: Questions Answered**

Harry slowly walked into the Head Masters office where a disheveled looking Dumbledore stood in tattered gray robes. He had cuts on his face, dark circles had formed under his eyes, and his white hair was in tangles. He slowly limped over to Harry, and gave him a long tight hug. Harry blushed, not really comfortable with such affection from someone who he was still angry with, but managed to lightly pat him on the back. Dumbledore released his embrace on Harry and straitened himself up.

"It's good to see you again Harry. I thought that I would never get to speak to you again, but here we are." Dumbledore said with slightly labored breathing. "Well, let's have a look at you." He said stepping back to observe Harry at length. "You're growing into a fine young man Harry Potter. Already you are wise beyond your years, and been forced to endure things that no boy your age should be forced to endure. But here you are, more the man for it. But there must be a million questions that you have for me, so if you'll have a seat I'll answer all that I can for you, and I'll have a few for you myself." Dumbledore finished motioning harry to the seat in front of his desk. Harry slowly took his seat, and watched Dumbledore limp over to his own behind the desk. Once seated Dumbledore commenced with the pleasantries. Now Harry, can I get you some tea, and perhaps some crunchy frogs to go with it?" Harry gave a sigh.

"No thank you… no tea or candy." Harry said wearily.

"Than perhaps I can get you something else. Would you like some pumpkin juice, or perhaps…"

"I want answers Dumbledore… I want to know why you left me all alone for another summer, and I want to know why you were not a Sirius's funeral. Actually I want to know why there were not a lot of people at his funeral. Come to think of it, I never read about him being exonerated in the paper. Why didn't you tell the Ministry and the Daily Profit about him being innocent?" Harry said raising his tone a bit. Dumbledore sat silently for a moment. He eventually nodded his head and cleared his throat.

"Fair questions Harry… and I will provide you with the best answers that I can. You were left alone again because the occlumency lessons with Snape failed so badly last year, and I have not had time to teach them to you myself. If I would have kept you informed about what was going on over the summer, I feared that Voldermort could have easily picked your brain as to the plans that the Order and I had for him. He would have also known your whereabouts in a place that you could not be fully protected at. The order is small, and I did assign members to watch over you, but I would have had to allocate many more vital resources to your protection that were desperately needed elsewhere at the time. So in order to keep you safe, and the order safe, and to allow more order members to be stationed in Eastern Europe where Voldermort is, I thought it best for you to stay safe at home with your family, where the love of your family would protect you." Dumbledore said in a sincere voice.

"Those people… are not my family, and there is no love between us. I think that you and Voldermort are both wrong about the love protection. If he could not get to me there, than there must be another reason for it. Maybe he was too weak from when he attacked me at my parent's house that night. Whatever it was, it wasn't love, because I can tell you that there has never been one day of my life that anyone in the house on private Drive showed me any bit of love, and vice versa. And if I had to learn occlumency than why didn't you have one of the order members that were watching me teach me how to do it?" Harry asked frustrated.

"Because there was no one else qualified to teach it to you but Professor Snape and myself. It is the same reason that I never taught charms class in school. To be able to learn a skill is one thing, but to be able to teach a skill is quite another. I could not be there because I was hunting down Voldermort and from time to time battling his minions, and you know as well as I what a disaster it would have been to have Severis attempt to teach you again. Another thing Harry, although you believe that there is no love for you from the Dursleys, I can assure you that your aunt does have some for you, though she will never admit it. It was her love specifically that kept you safe all these years. It is not important that you believe it, it just is important that it is so." Dumbledore finished adjusting his glasses.

"Fine, but that still doesn't explain why you were not at Sirius's funeral, or why you didn't have him vindicated for the crimes he was accused of. He was a hero, and he deserved a hero's funeral." Harry said, still upset. Dumbledore closed his eyes, and a tear streamed across his cheek. After a moment he looked back up at Harry.

"Harry… don't you think that I wanted to be there? I watched Sirius and your father grow up in this school. He was a loyal member of the order, and I wanted to be there to say goodbye to him. But… I had to find Voldermort… I've been searching for him since you left last year, fighting his evil minions, all across Hungary, Romania, and several other places in Eastern Europe. There have been battles Harry… battles that you may not know about for a long time. I have made it my personal duty to spend every hour in an attempt to locate Voldermort and finally delay him. At the time we had only just realized a few months before that he had chosen Eastern Europe for his new layer, and had not found him yet." Dumbledore explained, but not to Harry's satisfaction.

"You hadn't even found him yet at the time of Sirius funeral? So what kept you from apparateing, and going to see him for just a couple of hours? That's all it would have taken, just a couple of hours to pay your respects."

"Harry you must understand that I had to be in Eastern Europe at our base of operations to make sure that everything was being managed properly. There is nothing more important than finding and slowing Voldermort down. That's what I was doing."

"You don't think I want him caught… _no destroyed?_ He killed my parents, and he killed Sirius, and he wants to destroy everything that is good about the world. I want him stopped. But I could still take the time to say goodbye to Sirius if I was in your position. For two bloody hours you could have delegated local authority to someone else to be there for him. Have you no faith to trust leadership in other Order members? And why was he not cleared of charges against Wormtail? Why wasn't it splashed over the Daily Profit; Sirius Black Hero Acquitted"? Dumbledore gave a great sigh, and his eyes lowered.

"Perhaps… you are right Harry. Perhaps I have become too obsessive about Voldermort. But I'm only trying to buy you more time, and give you some advantage. You still have things to learn in this school and I know that I must reduce Voldermorts army that he's mounting in force. You see you will be the one to make your final stand against Voldermort according to the prophecy, but when that time comes there will be a larger battle raging around you. Many students form this school I fear will be involved. The Ministry of Magic is still in the process of raising an army as well to stop Voldermort and they must also have time to train more aurors. If you do defeat Voldermort you will be very weakened from the experience, and perhaps even seriously wounded, and if his army ends up winning the larger war than it would be all for not. That is why I've been so obsessed with everything Harry… and perhaps _I should_ have been there for Sirius, and I wasn't… but I can assure you that my intentions were good… it's just something that I'm going to have to live with. And I am sorry for it, but I can assure you that I'm not perfect and I will use bad judgment sometimes like everyone else in the world Muggle or Magic. Now for your next question, why was he not exonerated of any wrong doing. There is a simple and tragic answer for that. There is not yet proof. In fact no one knows that he has in fact died outside of the Death-eaters, and the Order. I cannot reveal everyone who knows the truth without breaking their cover and exposing the Order and everyone in it to more peril. I can only assure you Harry, that when all this is over, everyone will know about Sirius, and he will be given the recognition that he deserved. However… for now… no one would believe us… we didn't capture Wormtail amongst Voldermorts' Death-eaters, and he was the proof that we needed. However it's only a matter of time I can assure you."

"But what about the Quibbler article? They reprinted it in the _Daily Prophet_. I explained everything about how Wormtail faked his own death." Harry said even more upset. Dumbledore nodded his head.

"True Harry, but Sirius has been infamous for a long time, forever linked with the Dark Lord, even though it wasn't true, and even though you bear witness it will take people time to come around to the fact that he was a hero. But they will come around eventually." Dumbledore finished, pulled out his wand, waved it, and a glass of water appeared on his desk which he took a slow sip out of. Harry just sat there watching him, and processing everything that he was being told in his mind. Dumbledore had given him good reasons for keeping him in the dark on some things, but had admitted that he was wrong not to be at Sirius' funeral. But another part of his question was not yet answered. Harry looked up ad Dumbledore again and spoke in a more calm tone.

"And… why wasn't I at the reading of the will. Why keep me from hearing what Sirius left me?" Harry asked.

"You received a large amount of money in the form of Five hundred thousand gallons, which has been added to your vault at Gringots. He also left you Grimald Place, but there is also another estate that Sirius owned that we could not let you know about… were using it as our Primary base here in the United Kingdom, and if you know where it is that so will Voldermort. I promise that everything about that as well will be revealed to you after all this is over. You must understand Harry I hate keeping so much from you, but that's the way things are in war. Not fair. You'll just have to take things on faith that I'm doing the best I can for you and for other people as well. In the end Voldermort can reach you anywhere but here and your relative's house." Dumbledore finished, and took another sip of water. At these last words from Dumbledore Harry sat quietly and reflected on his school year since he had returned to Hogwarts. About the Quidditch game, where ha almost killed Cindy Miggins, about the threats that he made against Padma Patel and Allen Miller, and about how he could only remember the events in nightmares that he had suffered through the next night. Finally he reflected on the last nightmare that he had; the one about him killing Padma with the Bogart, and the horrible death that she suffered. Harry looked up at Dumbledore again. I'm not safe here from Voldermort either… if you had summoned me before now I could have told you." Harry said in monotone. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"What… what do you mean Harry?"

"Someone's been possessing me. It's Voldermort. It hast to be him, or at least someone who is working for him, or with him, and he's been causing me to go off on other students. I can't control my body at the time, it almost cost a girl her life, and…" Harry stopped. He didn't want to tell Dumbledore about the nightmare that he had about Padma, not because he didn't think that Dumbledore could be trusted to keep it in confidence, but because he was afraid that saying it might make it come true. Dumbledore set up striate in his chair, and Harry could tell that he was even more attentive than before.

"I see, and… is _that_ why you attacked the students on the train as well Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Harry lowered his head.

"No sir, that was me and my hatred for those sons of Death Eaters, but there were a lot of other incidents that occurred that I had no control over. I would not remember it until I had a nightmare about it the next night." Harry said plainly. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"Please continue Harry." Dumbledore insisted. Harry looked up at Dumbledore again.

"First there was the Quidditch match, well what happened with that was…" Harry began, but Dumbledore held up his hand to stop him.

"Please excuse me Harry, but I've already heard you explain that… I should have said, but please go on about the other incidents. I'm sorry I should have been more specific." Dumbledore apologized. Harry gave his Head Master a surprised look.

"What do you mean you already heard me explain that? You were not even there." Harry said with no malice.

"Do you remember the glowing blue orb that Professor McGonagall had on her desk when you and Mr. Wheasley visited her office to explain about the match?" Dumbledore asked. Harry reflected for a minute, and then nodded remembering that she had produced a glowing blued sphere. It had seemed rather insignificant at the time.

"That was a recording device, which we use, as a Muggle might use a digital camera. I'll show you Harry." Dumbledore reached into his desk drawer and pulled out the orb. He sat it on the table, and waved his hand around the orb, it faded in color form a light blue to a dark one, and back. Before the tow of them small blue tone see-though images appeared before them of Harry, Ron and Professor McGonagall. The figures played out the scene just as it had happened that day when Harry and Ron had played the practice match against the Huffelpuffs. The only thing different was that the voices were squeaky, and you could barely tell the difference between who was speaking if you were not watching their mouths as they spoke.

"I see." Harry said. "Ok, about the second incident… I threatened Allen Miller and Padma Patel. Again I don't remember doing it, or at least I didn't remember doing it at the time, but I remembered it in a dream later. I'm sure that I know what is going on. There have been some strange happenings at this school over the summer, and since I have returned. From what I have learned from Sir Nicholas and Cho Chang, as well as my own experience I can tell you that Draco Malfoy, and his lot are involved, as well as a girl named Marietta Edgecombe. I'm sure that it's Draco that's been impersonation me using Polly-juice potion. I'm equally sure that Miss Edgecombe is working with him. " Harry finished. Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair, with sincere interest in Harry's news.

"You… you threatened Padma Patel Harry? When was this?!" Dumbledore asked in a nervous tone. Harry lowered his eyes.

"It was just a couple of days before she went missing. I didn't remember it at the time, but, I later dreamed about it. But I'm sure it was really Malfoy, and maybe I was knocked out or something. I'm not sure where I was. Just regular classes that day, and I went to Filches office for detention, at one point. I barely remember any part of that day actually. But as I said I'm sure Malfoy and his lot are behind it.

"You really think Mr. Malfoy is involved? I've been having Professor Snape keep a close eye on him, and the other children of known Death Eaters. I thought that there may be certain circumstances around him that might lead us to Voldermorts location, or at least give us a hint of what his plan is, but we've found nothing so far. As far as Miss Edgecombe is concerned, well, I've come to recently find that she has some prejudice towards non-purebloods, but I have nothing to indicate that she has had any dealings with Mr. Malfoy, and his associates." Dumbledore said with genuine surprise. Harry scoffed.

"Well there's the problem right there isn't it? You should not trust him. I wouldn't be surprised if he was in on it too. In fact it would make perfect sense for Voldermort to need an Adult to cover up for Malfoy. It would especially make sense that it would be one of the masters."

"Harry that's enough. I can assure you that Professor Snape is doing everything in his power to work toward defeating the Death Eaters, and protect the students of this school, despite the way that he feels about you… and you feel about him. He assures me that he has kept Mr. Malfoy and his friends under close supervision, and they have done nothing to warrant suspicion up until now."

"Then it hasn't been close enough, and I still don't trust him." You should have seen how he acted in dueling class. He is the one who needs to be kept under observation." Harry said his voice raising slightly.

"That is enough Harry. Severis has my complete trust, and I will here no more unfounded accusations about him. Now… please, is there anything else that you wish to discuss with me?" Dumbledore asked. Harry thought for a moment about everything that Sir Nicolas, and Cho had told him went on over the summer, and everything that had happened since he had returned to school. He considered everything, and then decided that he did indeed have more to tell Dumbledore. Harry raised his head to look at Dumbledore.

"Are you aware that Marietta Edgecombe was here over the summer?" Harry asked. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"I am aware of that. I was surprised to find that she was Fiche's niece. His she came here with his twin brother over the summer, though she is actually related by his sister. To be honest Mr. Filch has surprised me rather a lot this year. I was not aware that Miss Edgecombe was his niece, or that he had a twin brother. But now that I reflect on it, Mr. Filch has always been a private person ever since I've known him. And I've never pressed him for his family history because of it." Dumbledore finished. Maybe you should have. His room is ghost proofed, and his twin brother and Marietta did it. Also… there is a second bewitched room in the castle, By the tapestry of Helga Huffelpuff. I thought that it was Malfoy again, but now that I think about it, it could have been Marietta Edgecombe, though I wouldn't be surprised if it were on his orders." Harry stated.

"A second bewitched room? I was not aware of that… what was in it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well… nothing really, but it is suspicious, and Cho Chang did hear Marietta talking to someone about it earlier in the year, so maybe you should ask her about it. Cho says that she believes that Marietta is up to something. Marietta was the one who betrayed the DA last year, and she was one of the people who were handing out pamphlets to that society thing at Hogs-mead. I went to the area that they held the rally at. I saw Cho… I saw Cho Chang there. I thought that she was a part of it all, because she was on the wrong part of the barricades, and another girl said that she was a guest speaker… but now I don't think she was involved. She said that Marietta Edgecombe was there, and that she was a big part of it. What is the Society all about?"

"I see, I certainly will look into the society again Harry, I've already made it known to them that I'm keeping an eye on them. Harry do you remember my speech in the great hall when I talked about when the society that was having a rally in Hogsmeade this year?" Harry nodded.

"I went there myself to try and convince the leader of the organization to go away, and take his detestable views with him. Of course there was nothing that I could legally do to get them to leave, but I thought that I would try anyway. The organization is led by a former student that I had the displeasure of teaching. His name is Ian Watson, and he fancies himself a professor… though I doubt if you could ever find a wizarding school that would ever give him a degree. Many years ago, before even your parents attended this school he had founded this racist organization to attempt to get the non-pureblood students out of the school. He generated much hatred for the Muggle-born amongst the purebloods in the school. Unfortunately for a while he was able to turn many of the students of pureblood to his favor. You see it was different time, and though his heart was evil, Mr. Watson possessed a great charisma that drew people in. At first he was not so direct about his hatred seeking only segregation from the half-bloods, and Muggle-borne, but soon after when he had pulled them in a little deeper, and started promoting expulsion of all non-purebloods, eventually after a time he would… suggest that the non purebloods needed to be gotten rid of permanently, though he never openly endorsed murder. You know Harry, there used to be another building, where the green houses now reside. The Hogwarts Auxiliary building. It was used by various school organizations, for things like choir, and the Yule ball and… even private student organizations… like the Society for Truth Uniformity Purity, and Domination."

"Why did you let an organization like that exist at this school?" Harry asked surprised.

"I was not at the time Head Master and… as I said… it was a different time. I kept his little society at bay, by restricting them to the building, and cautioning the other students about the wrongs of hatred towards others. Eventually some students; half-blood and Muggle-borne, started to show up at hospital with some rather nasty jinxes on them. They couldn't remember what had happened to them… obvious memory charms. No one could prove at the time that it was the society, but I knew it was Watson and his lot. I worked some spells over the next summer.

That was the summer that I was informed that I would be Head Master for the next school year. When the next year came I was able to more severely restrict the society. Watson grew tired of the limits at which he could bully the non purebloods, but he was still able to cause enough friction between everyone even as I made legal maneuvers to stop him. Eventually more members of the Society spent more and more time at the Auxiliary building, and many other students organizations started holding there meetings in other parts of the school. One day the Auxiliary building burned to the ground, and Watson was quick to blame the Muggle-borne students against him. Some circumstantial evidence was left pointing towards Muggle-borne. Watson, thinking that there would be no further investigation after the masters fond the false evidence against the other students, began trying to rally the purebloods against the others… pointing out that they had burned down the building trying to deprive the purebloods of the organization that was set up to protect them from Muggle borne, and half blood aggression. But he _didn't know_ about the spells that I had conjured to the castle. I was able to walk over the burned out ruins of the Auxiliary building, and recreate the scene from the night that it had burned just as if it were happening in real time. Watson had his wand broken, his broom taken away, was exiled from the United Kingdom, and never allowed to use magic again, and the same for his organization. All students who had been members with him were forced to disavow the society, or be expelled. Watson was not even allowed to fly a broom. I thought that I had seen the last of him, and his lot, but now I found that idiots in the Ministry have let him back in, and I can assure you that he has not wised up to his… his wrongful views. "Much of my time now is spent still on Voldermort, but I can assure you that I am sparing some time to watch the society. For now they seem to be following the parameters of the law, but the instant they step out of line I'm going to have them kicked out of the UK, and work to get the rest of the wizarding world to banish the organization as well.

Oh there is another thing. When I went to the rally at Hogsmead I saw Miss. Chang fighting with a girl. She, that is Miss Chang was then attacked by two society wizards. I blocked some spells that they cast at her and relieved them of their wands. I too was curious to know what she was doing there at first. However I found that the answers were satisfactory enough. I still felt that she was hiding something's, but I probed her mind just enough to know that she had no malicious intent in doing so. I would have probed further, but I didn't feel that it warranted violating her privacy. In my opinion occlumency is very privacy violating, and I don't use it unless I feel it is absolutely necessary. That is one way that I've been keeping taps on the suns of Death Eaters here, and since Voldermort knows I'm able to I suspect that that is why he has not contacted any of them, unless he has found a way around it. Which I doubt he has. In any event. I'm sure that Miss Chang is not in league with the society as well. I will however have a talk with Miss Edgecombe soon. Now getting onto other things Harry, is there anything else you need to tell me about, anything at all. I want to know if you've felt Voldermort in your scar. Harry concentrated hard for a moment. Finally talking with Dumbledore and getting it all out was starting to calm him down, but he was still thinking hard on Padma Patel and the nightmare that he had had a few nights before. _Should I tell him? God, if I say it I feel that it might make it come true. She's been missing for days, and I can't think that this should be any different from the other nightmares that I had that came true. But then again, I've been having this one much more often. Even if I tell him about it, I have no proof that it's real. I won't not until I can find more proof. I've got to find out what happened myself._ Harry looked up at Dumbledore.

"No sir, nothing else, except that I don't want you hiding things from me anymore. You have to keep in contact with me, and…" Dumbledore raised a hand to stop Harry in mid sentence, and looked up quickly towards the door.

"One moment Harry, the masters are at the door." Dumbledore said urgently. The doors then burst open, and Professor's McGonagall and Snape both burst in at a run. Snape had panic on his face, and McGonagall a tear in her eye. Snape approached Dumbledore and spoke in labored breathing, as if he had just played an intense game of Quidditch.

"Head Master… you must come… with us at once." Snape said out of breath.

"Severus, what is it?"Dumbledore asked concerned.

"It's the Patel girl Dumbledore. We think we've found her … she's… she's…" Snape hesitated.

"What do you mean you think you've found her? Is she alright Severus?" Dumbledore queried nervously." The two professors shook their heads. McGonagall dried her eyes with a hanky. Snape composed himself long enough to speak properly.

"We found… a body, of a student. That is unrecognizable, in a storage room. You would have to see, you will have to see for your self. You must come quickly." Snape insisted. Dumbledore jumped to his feet.

"Harry you must come with us. Severus, please lead the way." Dumbledore asked as thee four of them rushed out of the head Masters office.


	57. Chapter 57

AntiBush: I think a lot of people care about Cho in cannon. I think that she will appear again. It was something that JK said in an interview long ago, when asked why Harry and Cho could not end up together, and she said "It just wasn't going to work out between them, be glad it ended when it did." Besides if there is something in the world that I don't want to happen, it always does.

Froggie2: I know that I said that this is where Harry and Fiona break up, but I messed up. I promise soon if it's the last thing that I do, I just need a little more time. Next chapter I'm sure.

Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews, I can't tell each of you how grateful I am. I don't think I'll be able to finish, but I'll do as much as I can before I have to quit. Sadly like my life, I think my story is disintegrating because of my lack of talent… it's getting worse, but I'll do my best.

Dumbledore is one of my favorite characters, probably second after Cho, but in this chapter, I wanted to show that even though he is the greatest Wizard there is, he is not immune from making mistakes, and sometimes in a certain situation, the best people can panic, and use poor judgment. Maybe even Doctors, whom I revere. This is not meant to be a filler chapter, so you will notice that my story, like my life, is getting worse. I'm very sorry, and will try to do better next time.:(

**Chapter 57: Dumbledore's Mistake**

Harry, Dumbledore and the other two professors walked down several flights of stairs, at a quick pace with Snape urging them on constantly, but not explaining the situation any further. At one point a set of staircases started to change, but with a quick flick of his wand and a short incantation Snape brought it back into place. The four of them continued down a few more flights of stairs and then through several corridors until they reached the potions lab. Snape said that he needed to retrieve something important from the room, and asked Dumbledore to come in for a moment to speak with him privately while he did so. Dumbledore obliged, and Snape closed the door behind them. Harry stood out side the door with Professor McGonagall, who was sobbing quietly, and drying her eyes with a hanky.

"Professor McGonagall, what is it? What has happened to Padma?" Harry asked nervously." This is the first time that he had ever seen her cry, and he believed her to be a strong woman, who was not shaken easily, so the situation had to be bad. Harry reflected on his dream from previous nights remembering how bad it might be. Professor McGonagall looked at him with lowered eyes.

"She was… were not even sure that it is Miss Patel… we can't identify the body." She said is a whisper, as if afraid to say it out loud. Harry was about to question her further, when Dumbledore and Snape returned from the potions lab, with Snape carrying a small green bottle of something, which he put into his pocket. Dumbledore turned to Harry and McGonagall, and then back to Snape.

"We must hurry, Severus, please lead the way." Dumbledore said. Professor Snape walked quickly down the corridor, eventually they came across several other flights of stairs, and more corridors until Harry sensed that they were deep within the dungeons of Hogwarts. As they continued on Harry started to notice a light trace of a familiar stench that caused his nose to wrinkle a bit. Still further they pressed on, and soon the foul odor grew worse causing Harry to choke. At one point they passed some first and second years heading the opposite direction. They had pulled their sweaters over their noses, to avoid the stench. Finally the four companions had turned a final corner into the storage area, and Snape came to a halt, with the others following suit. Snape reached into his pocket, and produced the small green bottle. Snape tilted it down and ran his fingers over the top, allowing the green pasty fluid to spill over them, and then smeared the past under his nose, and handed it to Dumbledore. Dumbledore and McGonagall did the same, when they were handed the green bottle, as did Harry when it was passed to him. The smell was not pleasant, but it was more tolerable than the stench in the corridor, and largely blocked it out. The next moment they were all on their way again.

Finally Harry and the masters reached a spacious open room with a high ceiling and three other corridors that led out in different directions. The room was filled with a few students with worried faces, and sweaters pulled over their noses. At the entrance of the Northern most corridor, an enraged Allen Miller was trying to push into the corridor with Professor Pinefield holding him back to the best of her ability.

"**Let me through, damn you! I have to know if it's her! Don't you understand… I have to know!" **Miller shouted. His tone was filled with anger, but Harry noticed tears streaming from his eyes.

"**Mr. Miller, what's the meaning of this?"** Snape shouted at him. Miller turned to Snape with a pleading look in his watery eyes.

"Professor, they… they think that they found her. My girlfriend Padma... they think that… They won't let me know… but… I have to know." Miller sobbingly pleaded. Snape looked around at the other students some of whom were also crying, and then turned back to Professor Sprout and Pinefield with an angry glance.

"**Professor Pinefield, Professor Sprout, what is going on here? Why are these students here?"** Snape shouted bitterly, his nostrils flaring. The two Professors looked at each other nervously, and then back at Snape.

"Well the students were concerned, and we aren't fully aware of what's going on…" Professor Sprout started, but Snape cut her off.

"**I'll tell you what's going on! There has been a student Murdered." **Snape continued, as students within ear shot gasped in horror. **Take these students to their respective houses, and…" **

"Please excuse me Severis, but I think that proper thing to do would be to assemble the students in the Great Hall. We need to do a head count to make sure that all students are accounted for." Dumbledore spoke for the first time upon coming on the scene, a grim look on his face. Snape nodded, and stood silently awaiting his next instructions. Dumbledore then glanced over to Professor McGonagall had stopped crying, but a grim look was still set in her face.

"Professor McGonagall, please escort these children to the Great Hall. Professor Pinefield, please go and assayable the prefects and have them go to the various classes still in session, and inform the respective masters and students that classes are canceled, and they should all assembled in the Great Hall." Dumbledore calmly advised.

"I'm not leaving. I'm going in there. I have to see if…" Miller started, but choked on his words.

"You'll do what you're told _boy_. Assemble with the other students; you don't need to see anything, besides you couldn't possibly tell if it's her anyway, not until we get a head count and see if there are any other students missing. Now go." Snape demanded. Miller shook his head defiantly.

"I'm not… cough… leaving, and what do you… cough mean I wouldn't be able to tell it's her?" Miller said bitterly.

"It's none of your concern Mr. Miller. Now go to the great hall with the others or you'll be in detention for the rest of the year." Snape said in an irritated tone. Miller looked like he was about to explode, but he took a moment to keep his composure as he spoke.

"I don't care what you do to me. I'm not… cough leaving until I find out if my girlfriend is in there. I can't bear not knowing. I haven't been able to sleep or study or anything else. I need to know one way or the other. So if you want to put me in detention… gasp… or expel me, than do what you have to, because I'm not going anywhere." Miller said defiantly. Snape moved toward Miller, and was about to shout at him, but Dumbledore quickly motioned him to wait.

"We don't want to do any such thing Mr. Miller. And I do understand. But you cannot go in there. However… if you will wait here, with Mr. Potter I promise you that we will let you know if it is indeed her. But we have to know… will you be ready to take the news if it is her?" Dumbledore asked. Miller lowered his eyes for a moment and then looked up again at the Head Master.

"Yes." He said weakly. Dumbledore nodded.

"Very well Mr. Miller. Wait here with Harry… err I mean Mr. Potter. Professor Snape, if you would be so kind as to provide Mr. Miller with some Vaperioum Paste?" Dumbledore asked. Snape pulled the green bottle out again, and tilted it, rubbing his fingers over the top. He then walked over to Miller and rubbed his finger under his nose. Milled flinched, but after a moment he was not choking. "Now Severs, what room did you say the body was found in?" Dumbledore asked.

"It was room four seven zero Head Master. Right this way." Snape intoned, he also offered the green bottle to Professor Sprout who was gasping from having tried to hold her breath. Dumbledore Professor Sprout and Professor Snape walked down the north corridor which held several rooms, and left Miller and Harry by themselves. Suddenly as Harry looked around he had a sudden sense of déjà vu.

"Where are we? I think I've been here before." Harry asked Miller. Miller just gave him a dirty look, and then set down against the wall with his head propped on his knees. After a moment of concentrating Harry finally remembered where he was, and where he had smelled the stench before. It was when Hermione and himself had gone looking for Padma Patel that day. The day that he had had the argument with Cho. How _could I have forgotten?_ Harry thought. But something else was bothering him. His nightmare that he remembered so vividly about Padma, the room number that Snape had mentioned seemed somehow familiar to him. For several minutes Harry racked his brain to get the answer, until finally it came to him. He recalled that in his dream that he had been attacked by the same creatures that the Bogart had turned into, and left the room in a rush. Upon closing the door in his dream to shut out the creatures he had happened to look up at the door frame. It was two seven zero. Harry wondered why he hadn't remembered it before. That was the room they had gone into, that meant that his nightmare had been true. And Harry had killed Padma Patel, or at least Draco and his friends had set it up that way, and most likely used Polly Juice potion. At least no one had seen him this time, so he would have more time to prove his innocence. Suddenly Harry heard a horrific scream from down the corridor and he and Miller both jumped up in surprise, and looked down the corridor. Professor Sprout was running towards them with tears in her eyes, and a hateful look on her face. Dumbledore and Snape were running right behind her trying to catch up. When she reached the two boys she grabbed Harry by the collar, and pushed him against the wall.

"**How could you!" She cried. How could you do that to the poor girl! You… you evil… Why? Why did you do it Potter?"** Sprout shouted hysterically. Harry's eyes went wide.

"I… I didn't… I didn't do anything." Harry said honestly. Professor Sprout shook him violently.

"**Lire, I saw you! I saw everything. The Bogart, the hornets… everything!" **She shouted angrily. Dumbledore and Professor Snape pulled her off of Harry, and tried to calm her down.

"Now… now Professor Sprout, calm down… Harry isn't capable of this. There has to be some reasonable explanation." Dumbledore said calmly. Professor Sprout looked at Dumbledore with an expression of sincere shock.

"Reasonable explanation? You two both saw him… you both saw him kill her with the Bogart… saw the hornets sting her to death, hundreds of them. We… we have to inform the Ministry…" Sprout said in an urgent tone.

"We can't… not until we investigate further. We need to know what really happened here. I can assure you that it wasn't Harry who did it. We must not tell them yet. I will find out what really happened, but first we cannot let anyone know about what we saw in there for now Professor." Dumbledore said in a slightly panicked tone. Professor Sprout looked at Dumbledore with a look of sincere disbelief.

"Are… are you insane Head Master? We have to warn the Ministry… it's our duty to the students, their parents. We cannot just keep this to ourselves, this is murder!" Professor Sprout said shaking. Harry was panicking. He could feel his heart beating at rapid pace, and his knees were about to give out. He looked over at Allen Miller who was standing against the corner, jaw dropped, and eyes wide open. The color had drained from his face, and left his skin a pasty white.

"Please Professor Sprout. I cannot let you go to the Ministry. Please agree not to say anything at least until I have more time to come up with some evidence vindicating Potter." Dumbledore pleaded. Professor Sprout shook her head.

"No, I'm going now, you'll have a chance to try and disprove what we saw in court. I have to do this."Professor Sprout said. Dumbledore nodded.

"I understand… and I have to stop you, I'm very sorry." Dumbledore said pulling out his wand on her. Sprout's eyes went wide, as she looked down at Dumbledore's wand, and then back up to him.

"Albus… what are you doing?" Sprout asked just as Dumbledore said an incantation for a memory charm. She froze. And Dumbledore turned to Snape.

"I'm going to perform a memory charm to make Professor Sprout forget what she saw Severus. You must now allow anyone to go into that room until I have had a chance to review what we saw a few more times, in order to…"

"**My god, its true what Sanchez said… Potter has you under the imperious curse. Your under his control! I can't believe it." **Allen Miller shouted. Dumbledore and Snape turned to see him edging toward the corridor which Harry and the masters had come through earlier.

"Oh Mr. Miller, I was just about to get to you. No he doesn't have me under the imperious curse; it's not what it looks like. I just need time to find out what really happened. Now listen. I need to perform a memory charm on you as well, so please don't move." Dumbledore asked. Miller pulled out his wand and said a shield charm as Dumbledore, attempted to zap him with the memory charm. Millers block was successful, and he ran down the corridor towards the upper levels. Snape gave a great sigh.

"One of my best students Head Master." He said casually. Dumbledore turned to Professor Snape.

"Severus, you have to go stop him, I'll deal with Professor Sprout, and take Harry with me to my office. Meet me there with Miller when you catch up with him, and don't let him speak to other students." Dumbledore said a hint of panic in his voice. Snape nodded and rushed down the corridor at quick speed. Dumbledore then turned his attention to a rather catatonic looking professor Sprout. "Now Professor Sprout you will think that we have investigated the room with the girl's body, and found nothing. You will inform Madam Pomfree to have Mr. Filch come and collect the body, and have him bring a sheet, and a gurney, and bring it to the hospital room. Don't allow anyone to see it, not even the Ministry person… and tell them it's because of the… condition of the body. Also you will not tell them that we found the body tied up yet. You will then tell everyone you feel sick from your experience, and go and rest for today. Do you understand?" Dumbledore asked. Professor Sprout nodded. "Good, then go now." Dumbledore asked. He then turned to Harry. "Harry go directly to my office, and wait for me. I have to remove the ropes from around the body. We will discuss this when I get back." Dumbledore finished. Harry traumatized from the experience left in a run, crying uncontrollably all the way. His worst fear had been confirmed, Padma Patel had been killed in the vicious way that he had thought. She had Killed by a Bogart in the form of a swarm of angry hornets. As he ran the long distance to the Head Masters office, he reflected on his nightmare. He could still hear her screams fresh in his ears, and despite being far away from room #473 he could some how smell and even taste the death that hung in the corridor. For it was death that he had smelled, and he couldn't get it out of his mind. _How, how did they know it was me? It wasn't like the Quidditch match where there were witnesses, or like when I threatened Allen Miller. No one would have seen me… or Draco pretending to be me. But what if… what if it was me? What if Voldermort is possessing me, and I did it under the imperious curse? No he can't… I would have felt him trying to work inside my head. Draco with Polly juice -potion, that has to be the answer. Dumbledore must have some answers I should have told him about this before, god how stupid of me. I hope that Snape can catch Miller in time to stop him._ Harry thought to himself as he reached the stone gargoyle.

**The Hogwarts Court Yard**

The north courtyard of Hogwarts was filled with students on their break period, in enjoying their various leisure activities. Some Griffendores, lead by Hermione granger were sitting under a concrete over hang studying for N.E.W.T's, in another part of the square Jeremy Stretton was discussing the strategy for the upcoming game with his team, and still some students from various houses spent their time snogging in the out of the way corners of the court yard. On a concrete bench, set away from the other students, Marietta Edgecombe, Danielle Forester, and Lori Sanchez sat discussing Marietta's next cunning scheme to advance the society. It was a plan that had it's ruff formation at the beginning of the year when Lori was punished with detention by madam Sprout for espousing her political beliefs in the Great Hall at the beginning of the year. A punishment that Marietta got Lori to extend by two weeks by having her accidently destroy one of the mandrakes while practicing an Incendio spell when she was preparing the green house for Madam Sprout to arrive. Actually she had merely removed it from it's potting, and hid it at the very edge of the forbidden forest, to be recovered if Marietta ever thought of a good use for it in at a future date. That date had now arrived.

"Now Lori, are you sure you remember where you buried it? Also, are you sure that it has matured to adulthood by now?" Marietta asked again in a serious tone. Lori sighed, and rolled her eyes.

"Yes Marietta, for the tenth time yes. I have the map in my room, along with the copy of the key that I made, security charms and all. I know exactly where I put it." Lori said annoyed at being asked the same question repeatedly. Marietta gave her a stern look.

"Don't cop that attitude with me Lori. This all has to work perfectly according to plan. If we get caught, it could send us all to Azkaban for a long time. The plan has to be followed to the letter. I must be sure that you can find it tomorrow." Marietta said as both Lori and Danielle gasped.

"Wha… what do you mean a long time in Azkaban? I didn't know that stealing a mandrake would get you time in Azkaban, especially since your going to have me bring it back. What… what exactly_ is_ the plan?" Lori asked.

"That's on a need to know basis, and right now you two don't need to know. In fact don't even discuss this with any society members. Go to your room and get the map and the key, give them to me in the Great Hall, and make sure that no one sees you pass it to me." Marietta instructed her. Lori gave her a confused look in return.

"And… and then what Marietta?" Lori asked. A slight grin came across Marietta's face.

"And then your part in all this is over. You let me worry about _what_… now go and get the map and the key. You've done a very good job Lori, and your rewards will be vast once the society is in power. Wealth, power… everything you've dreamed of, but there will still be more work to do. You and Danielle have proven yourselves instrumental in all this. Now go and get everything ready, just remember to be inconspicuous when you hand the items to me. Now go." Marietta finished. Lori left for the Gryffindor dorms leaving Marietta and Danielle to converse further.

"Marietta, I know that you give us orders and relay information from Professor Watson on a need to know basis, but I would like to know myself what you have planed for the mandrake. I mean I am your best friend, and I think that I've proven myself a trustworthy confidant." Danielle said sincerely. Marietta smiled and ran her hand across Danielle's cheek.

"Humm, of coarse you have my dear. The society has been able to place a new teacher to work at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, there are no positions open right now. I'm going to see that that issue is dealt with. To do that, some one has to quit, or else… be removed some other way." Marietta said with a mischievous grin on her face. Danielle smiled, an excited look on her face.

"You mean your going to get that mudblood fired?" She asked happily. "But how are you going to do that with a mandrake?" Marietta rolled her eyes, and gave a sigh.

"No Danielle, I'm going to…" she began but was interrupted by shots from the west end of the courtyard.

"**Help! Help me!"** Allen Miller shouted in terror. Marietta and Danielle jumped to their feet along with the other students to see what was going on. Miller was running across the court yard, out of breath, and looking behind him as if something horrible was chasing him down, and stopped only when he crashed into Susan Bones, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Several students came over to help the two up, among them Ron Whesley and Parvati Patel. Marietta rushed over to the scene as well her interest peaked by the fear that Miller displayed.

"Miller, what's… what's going on?" Hermione asked. Miller's face was ashen white, and his voice shook as he spoke.

"It's the head master and Professor Snape. They… I mean Professor Sprout came out of the corridor and she said… she said sniff that Potter killed Padma." Miller said getting up. Tears were steaming down his eyes. "Potter… killed her… oh god, he… killed her. And he has control of the Head Master, and Professor Snape… they found her body and Professor Sprout she… she confronted Potter… said he did it, and… was going to the Ministry, but Dumbledore had Professor Snape gave Professor gave her a… a memory charm to… make her forget. He tried to attack me. They didn't want anyone to know it was Potter. I… I ran. Professor Snape was after me. I ran." Miller said his voice a mixture of panic, and sorrow. Several of the students gasped at Millers accusation. Ron jumped in front of Miller his face as red as his hair.

"**Your lying Miller, Harry would never hurt or try to control anyone. And Dumbledore wouldn't just zap people with memory charms either. This is some Slytherin trick. What are you really at?"** Ron demanded.

Miller shot a hateful look at Ron.

"Go to hell Weasley. Professor Sprout was about to go to the Ministry about Potter, because they fond my girlfriends body, and some how Professor Sprout had discovered it was Potter. The Head Master ordered Snape to alter her memory, and then he sent Professor Snape after me. I ran, but I have to find Potter, he killed my Padma. I'm going to kill him." Miller said bitterly, his fear seeming to be replaced by rage at Ron's accusations. Many of the students were watching this argument with interest, some were gasping with shock, and had looks of horror on their faces. A few had left the courtyard, presumably to go tell friends. Marietta turned away from the ruckus, and spotting Danielle grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her away from the crowd, that had gathered.

"About bloody time!" She said to herself in frustration.

"Time for what Marietta, why did you pull me away? I wanted to hear what happened. Did you hear what Allen Miller said about Potter, do… do you think that it's true what he said?" Danielle asked nervously.

"Nothing, listen Danielle, I think that were going to have…" Marietta started, but was again interrupted by another commotion. This time it was Professor McGonagall, trying to move the students into the Great Hall.

"Attention please, your attention please. Now listen. I need everyone to move to the Great Hall, there has been an emergency and we need to get a count of all students. Now don't go to your classes or, your Houses, as everyone is assembling in the Great Hall." Professor McGonagall started. " I want everyone to move quickly, and orderly, and…"

Professor McGonagall… Allen says the Head Master attacked him with a memory charm!" a brown haired Huffelpuff boy said urgently. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

"He said what?" the Professor asked seeming not to believe what had been said. Mariette watched Miller step out in front of the crowd, and explain much of what he had stated before, but this time he was stopped in mid sentence by a females shout.

"**Stop it! Stop it! It's not true… she can't be…" **Parvati Patel screamed. She was looking at Allen Miller with tears in her eyes, a grim expression on her face. "Allen, how could you say that… did you even see my sister?" Parvati asked sobbing, as two Griffendore girls ran over to comfort her. Miller too was still crying as he spoke.

"I… I didn't see her body, but there are several other students that know there was a body, and Professor Sprout. She knew… said that Potter had done it, and that she… she was going to the Ministry about… him, but the Head Master stopped her… and tried to memory charm me. " Miller started, but was cut off by Professor McGonagall.

"Mister Miller, stop these accusations right now! How dare you say such things against Mr. Potter and the Head Master! You are to stop this at once and everyone is to come with me." Professor McGonagall started.

"**Not… so fast… Professor McGonagall! I… have to have a… word with Mr. Miller, and I'll need to speak to all the students in this court yard."** Professor Snape demanded wheezing and doubled over from what looked like a long run. Marietta began to panic when she heard Snape say that he needed to talk to all the students in the court yard. _If what Miller said was true than professor Snape might try to memory charm everyone that he could with memory charms to cover it up. He may be my favorite Professor, but he still works for the enemy._ She turned to Danielle.

"Quickly we have to go now to the Great Hall, and warn the other students about Potter and the Professors. If what Miller said is true, I think that the Head Master will want to keep this secretes from everyone. You know how he favors the mudbloods, especially Potter. Quickly now!" Marietta instructed as the two rushed out the other end of the courtyard. Behind her Marietta could hear Allen Miller arguing with Snape.

"**Keep away from me Professor! I know that your going to try and memory charm me like the Head Master put on Professor Sprout. I won't let you do it, I have witnesses!"** Miller screamed.

"**What are you talking about Miller, I just want to talk, don't be silly, the Head Master didn't do anything to professor Sprout! Look your just in shock from finding out that it was your girl friend, now just relax and come over here."** Snap demanded irritably.

As Danielle and Marietta turned the corner, Marietta reflected that Lori Sanchez had tried to convince Miller weeks earlier to join the society, spreading the rumor about Potter controlling the Head Master, and he expressed no interest, as he had half blood and muggleborne friends. _Hump, now the idea that Potter might be controlling things doesn't seem so absurd to you does it Miller. Well, this hasn't worked out exactly the way I wanted, but if Danielle and I work at it, by tomorrow, almost the entire school will suspect Potter. _

Soon the two girls entered the Great Hall and Marietta surveyed many students sat talking to each other in confusion about why their classes had been canceled. Professor Flitwick and Argus Filch were moving from table to table trying to find out which students were not yet accounted for. Once more Marietta scanned from right to left, looking for her friends who were in the society.

"Alright Danielle, you take the Slytherin and Huffelpuff tables and I'll take the Ravenclaw and Griffendore. Start letting the other society members what happened, and then work your way down from there. We need to get rumors flying as soon as possible, before the Head Master has a chance to move to block our plan. He can't memory charm every student in the school. Now let's get to work. " Marietta finished. As she moved toward the Griffendore table she fought to hide a smile, reflecting to herself on how her hard work was finally paying off_. It has been just as Professor Watson has predicted, but better. The Masters must have used the history charms again, as they did in the ruins of the Hogwarts Auxiliary building after the professor had burned it down and tried to blame it on the mud-bloods and half bloods. The charms that had been the proof against the Professor that got him thrown out of Hogwarts and eventually the country, never allowed to return the United Kingdom or use magic again… that is until his pardon was secured through years of bribes and blackmailing of public officials. But the Professor had learned from that experience, and had feverishly worked for decades to find a way for a Wizard of Witch to cover their tracks, and hide their crimes. Once he had found out how to do this he spend part of each summer training me in secret, and having me study the Dark Arts in private every chance that I got. But it wasn't enough to cover up a crime as was to affix blame to someone else. And this was the plan all along. Now I will be the one to bring down __**The Harry Potter.**__ But I can't believe my luck! I had expected Dumbledore to defend Potter once they saw him, or at least my love disguised as him, kill Padma, but I didn't expect him too try and memory charm someone to prevent it from being discovered. He's getting old, to make a mistake like that, or maybe it was a moment of panic. In any event Dumbledore's Mistake may have just made this operation more successful that I ever could have hoped for._ Marietta thought excitedly to herself.


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58: The Breakup.**

Harry sat in the Head Masters office, as Dumbledore nervously paced back and fourth with an agitated look on his face. Harry had never seen him so upset. They had not said a word to each other since Dumbledore had returned fifteen minutes ago. Harry had wanted to speak with him, but every time that he opened his mouth, he wasn't able to get the words out.

_Why oh why didn't I tell him about the nightmare about killing Padma? I was afraid that saying would make it real, and that I would get in trouble, but it happened anyway, and now I'm in trouble anyway. I… I'm going to Azkaban if I don't find a way to prove my innocence, but how do I do that? I have to tell him now, though he'll be angry at me for not telling him in the first place. _Harry looked up at Dumbledore, if he spent much more time pacing back and fourth, he would where a deep grove in the cobblestone floor.

"Professor, I… need to tell you something." Harry said quietly. Dumbledore stopped his pacing, and set across the desk from Harry in his own chair. He then waited for Harry to speak, which he did with a hint of shame in his voice from having kept something from Dumbledore. "I… I had a nightmare that I didn't tell you about… one about me… killing Padma Patel. I didn't tell you because I was afraid that it would come true if I did. I didn't want it to be true. I know it sounds stupid, but … I had it. Like Professor Sprout said, it was a Bogart that came after Padma as a swarm of hornets. I remember everything; it was like it just happened. It must be as I said Draco impersonating me with Polly-juice potion. I'm sorry, I should have told you earlier." Harry finished. Dumbledore looked at Harry with a shocked expression on his face before he spoke next.

"You… you mean you knew? Harry the body was badly decomposed. It looked like it had been there for weeks! Harry, tell me, how long ago you have this nightmare!" Dumbledore demanded. Harry put his head back down, and felt himself on the verge of tears.

"I… It was a few weeks ago. I'm sorry. I was afraid. How would you feel if your nightmares started to come true, and you couldn't easily remember if you had an alibi or not for something like this. It was at night, and I had asked my room mates if they had seen me leave my bed, but they had all been asleep, so I had no proof that I had remained in my bed that night. But what I don't understand is… how did Professor Sprout know that… that it looked like me doing this, or could I actually have been under the impero curse?" Harry asked. Dumbledore looked at Harry quietly for a moment.

"Has your scar been hurting Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Harry shook his head. "I see, well then I think that you would know if you were under the curse, not most people would, but you're an exception to the rules. " Harry again shook his head. Dumbledore nodded. Than I think that it is not him controlling you. Perhaps it is most likely as you said someone impersonating you, but I do not understand how you are having such vivid dreams about it, that's nothing to do with anyone using Polly-Juice Potion. You see if someone impersonates you, you really don't remember anything. So it makes the explanation for your nightmares, very confusing." Harry nodded his understanding.

"Dumbledore I… I was curious to know how you were able to find out what happened in that room. I mean… I didn't do it, but I remember it. How did all of you know, what happened in that room?" Harry queried.

"You see Harry; the walls at Hogwarts have a long memory, as long as the school has been established. Sometimes there is a way for us to tap into that memory. With the right spells and incantations we can recreate the events that took place in this school, and that's what Professor's Sprout, Snape and myself did. As professor Sprout is not a member of the Order of the Phoenix, she formed her own opinion from what she saw. What she saw if you remember your nightmare clear enough is you berating that poor, tied up Patel girl for being a pureblood. Then she saw… you levitate the chair and… and the Bogart come out in a swarm of hornets, and sting her to death. She was stung so much that it swelled up her face, and that is one reason that the body could not be visually identified right away, and if we hadn't used the history charms than we wouldn't even know that it was her until we took a head count of the student body. I know that you didn't do it Harry, and I know that I'll have to inform the Ministry soon, but… I need some time to investigate the room further before they do." Dumbledore took off his half moon spectacles, and placed them on the table, rubbing his eyes, and continued. "I don't want it going around that people think that you did it, so that's why I memory charmed Professor Sprout, and had Severis go after Allen Miller to do the same…" Dumbledore continued but was interrupted but then stopped suddenly as Severis Snape burst in the door, and ran up to the Head Master's desk.

"**Head Master, we have a problem. It's bad." **Snape burst out in panic. Dumbledore rose suddenly out of his chair.

"What is it Severis, where is Mr. Miller?" Dumbledore asked. Professor Snape's face turned to an expression of embarrassment, and he hesitated before he spoke next.

"Mr. Miller was able to reach the courtyard before I could stop him. He told some other students what had happened, and added that Potter had you under the imperious curse. I tried to calm him down, as I couldn't just memory charm him in front of everyone, and when it was going to be evident that it was not going to work because of all the potential witnesses, I ordered the students to wait in the event that I would have to memory charm everyone in the courtyard… however, I soon found that I was too late, and that Miller's accusations had already spread to the students gathered in the Great Hall. I suppose some students had left to tell friends just before I arrived in the courtyard, but in any event the news of what Miller said is wide spread, and I couldn't memory charm every student. I left Professor McGonagall to keep things as under control as possible, but the effects of Miller's accusations are perhaps undeterminable at this time." I have him in my office… I had to isolate him, and tell the other students in the court yard that he was in shock. I'm not sure that they all believed me. Head Master perhaps you made a mistake in trying to memory charm Professor Sprout and Miller. I know that you wanted to investigate more before the Ministry did their own work, but this has caused quiet a stir in the student body." Snape said in a more calm breath.

"Severis, if I had allowed that then they would have taken Harry away, and thrown him in a ministry cell. I couldn't have allowed that." Dumbledore said.

"Perhaps you could say that you suspect that Potter was under the imperious curse, or that you believe that he was being impersonated by someone. In any event you might even be able to persuade the Ministry to keep him confined here." Snape continued. If you guarantee the Ministry that you can prevent him form performing magic than…"

"Prevent him from performing magic? Severis, Harry needs to learn magic defense more now then ever before. It's become more than about his education, it's become about saving the worlds in which Wizarding folk, and Muggles live. He has a destiny to stop you know who, and if he is right and it is Luscious Malfoy's son that is impersonating him…" Dumbledore started.

"Draco Malfoy has done nothing to anyone. Potter just finds him a convenient target. Potter has been causing trouble for Draco for years, and I've been watching Draco for years, he is working hard in school and trying to get through a difficult time. So he's not controlling or impersonating anyone." Snape said bitterly. Harry shot up out of his seat, and pointed an accusing finger at Professor Snape.

"**Well than maybe you're covering for him! He always was your favorite student, no doubt why as he hangs out with your death eater friends, and has been after me since my first year. Or maybe… you're the one working against me; after all you certainly have experience as a dark wizard. Maybe you killed Padma Patel."** Harry shouted. Snape enraged back handed Harry so hard that he fell to the floor, and moved to strike him again, but Dumbledore moved to block him.

"Now Severis, stop." Dumbledore demanded.

"Why you little… I have proven myself, time and time again to the Order of the Phoenix, and I don't need to prove myself to a little git like you. How dare you attempt to belittle me! You who are not even my equal; you're a student, and a poor one at that. You know who I think it is behind this Potter? It's you. Why not, after you attacked Draco on the train in your fourth year, and again this year. For all your infractions any other student would have been thrown out, but not you! _Head Master's little pet_, that's what my students call you, and how could anyone blame them." Snape raged angrily. You're coddled at every turn, given special treatment that is never afforded to any other students in the school, and…"

"**Severis, how dare you!"** Dumbledore shouted in a hostile tone. Professor Snape turned to Dumbledore with a disgusted look on his face.

"How dare I? How dare you sir. How dare you completely absolve Potter of any wrong doing after what we saw there today? IF it were any other student that we witnessed do this, you would have allowed Professor Sprout to go to the ministry. Maybe you would have argued for more proof on the students' behalf or requested more time, but you wouldn't have zapped a fellow staff member, or students. Now I have tremendous respect for you Head Master, but I've watched you coddle Potter for the last five years, always assuming that he is an infallible angle, above the considerations of other students." Snape bitterly retorted.

"That's enough Severis, we both know that Harry did not do anything, and I assure you that I don't treat him better than any other student…" Dumbledore started, but was again interrupted by Snape.

"Really Head Master? How many other students are you on a first name basis with? How many other students have you had to come into your office on a regular basis? Potter is…"

"I said that that is enough! **Shut up!"** Dumbledore retorted slamming his hand down on his desk with a loud snap. Snape held his tong, but his hateful look did not leave his face. Dumbledore turned to Harry.

"Harry… apologize to Professor Snape for accusing him of the crime." Dumbledore said in a tone trying to control his temper.

"What?" Harry asked surprised that Dumbledore would ask something of him, just after defending him against Snape.

"Harry, it was wrong of you to accuse Professor Snape of doing this, and I have told you before that he is to be trusted. Professor Snape is not involved in a plot against you, and would not harm a student of this school. He has proven himself time and time again, and you should not accuse him of such things." Dumbledore said in a calmer tone. Harry glanced at Snape for a moment, and then turned back to Dumbledore.

"I've… I've never heard you mention anything that he has specifically done for the order, or against Voldermort." Harry said. "What has he actually done to deserve your trust?" Harry asked unconvinced of Shape's good intentions. Dumbledore gave Harry a stern look.

"Harry, Professor Snape does not have to prove anything to you. He has proven himself time and time again to me and the others in the order, and just because you don't have first hand knowledge of something doesn't mean that it isn't true. You need to start realizing that there are other perspectives than just yours. Now apologize to Professor Snape Harry." Dumbledore said in a demanding tone. Harry looked at Professor Snape and then turned away.

"I'm sorry… Professor." Harry mumbled, not looking at his DADA instructor. Dumbledore than turned to Severis.

"Now Severis, you're not a school boy that I can make apologize, but I want you to know that I strongly, strongly disagree with your accusations about Harry, and about my favoring him over other students. You ought to know better, that he couldn't be capable of this. I don't think a student at this school could actually have done something like that. But that is not to say that some were not involved otherwise that maybe did not know the full extent of the plan. Whatever the plan is. So I think that we need to perhaps interview some of the students that are concerned in the mater, or suspected. We will need to speak with Mr. Miller, and Mr. Malfoy from your house, and Miss Edgecombe, who Harry has suspected of some misdoings. In addition we'll need to speak to Miss Parvati Patel about some instances as well. Maybe she might know if her sister had any enemies, or if someone had reason, in their minds to do her sister harm." Dumbledore finished. He than turned to Harry again. "Now, I want you to stay here, until I get back. Professor Snape and I need to see just how bad the situation with the students is. Professor, if you will please lead the way." Dumbledore motioned him to the door, and the two exited, leaving Harry to sit in his chair reflecting on the fear he felt of being blamed for Padma's death, and being an feared outcast for another year.

It was several hours later when Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape finally returned to the office. Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall both levitated some chairs behind Dumbledore's desk, and took their seats on either side of the Head Master. Each had a grim look on their face. Harry fidgeted in his chair nervously, as he waited for them to speak.

"Well Harry, what is bad is this; somehow what Miller said that Professor Sprout screamed at you, and what I did to her and tried to do to him has already spread around the school, and… well, I've given a speech saying that Mr. Miller was in shock, after finding out that it was his girlfriend who's body we found in the storage room, and that he only thought that Professor Sprout had said that it was you who we saw do this. We were not able to give him a memory charm, because too many students had knowledge of his accusations, and the sudden change in his story would have tipped people off. We've denied that we actually had evidence of you doing anything, and since I did have time to memory charm Professor Sprout, she has no knowledge of what she saw in that room. She thinks that we found no evidence. I could not know how many of the students believed me, but I tried to get into some of their minds as I stood in the great hall. Some do still believe you, some believe what Miller said, and some are undecided. I dared not delved any deeper into their minds than that for fear of violating their privacy, and of coarse that was just a sample of about ten students that I used, but… we've decided that you should ignore Mr. Miller's accusations for now. Just try and get through day by day until we can find out who really did this. And I promise you that I will find out the real person or person's responsible Harry. I just need a little time." Dumbledore said apologetically. Harry looked at him, with cold expression.

So, that's it then is it? I'm just to go about my school day as if I wasn't accused of murdering my friend? Just act like I don't know anything, is that it?" Harry asked bitterly. Dumbledore lowered his eyes, and Snape bore into Harry with his.

"Yes Harry. That is it. I'm sorry, but… for now that is what you must do. In two weeks another Ministry helicopter will arrive with student's mail, and an official sent to see how were managing with the protection of students, which… is not at best considering this current event, and then we will have to inform them of what happened. Until that time we can keep what happened within these walls, minus the memory charm on Professor Sprout of coarse. Until then, I'll make sure that no outgoing owls are sent out form the owlery. The three of us will investigate the matter in order to prove your innocence before that time. Don't worry Harry, we'll have plenty of time before the Ministry arrives and we have to issue a report, and by that time we're going to have a lot better idea of what really happened. For now go to your room and get some rest, it's ten o' clock, and I didn't mean to keep you so long. Don't tell anyone anything unless it's just to refute what Allen Miller said. Remember it's his word against yours. All that anyone else knows is that we found the body of Padma Patel, and she was killed by a Bogart. Anything else is just rumor until the Ministry arrives.

Harry walked into the Griffendore dorm room through the portrait of the fat lady, to find the common room full of his fellow students chatting about the day's peculiar events. Devin Smith was the first to spot Harry standing in the passageway. He pointed an accusing finger at him.

"**Look! There he is… the killer!"** Devin Smith shouted angrily. Everyone turned to look at Harry and the room went silent. People looked at him differently now, not like he was _The Harry Potter_, but with different faces all together, some it seemed with fear, and some with quizzical looks like they wanted to ask him something. Harry began walking toward across the room to the staircase which led to his dormitory room. As he passed the students he noticed one student that had been ushered away from the corridor that led to the storage rooms by professor Pinefield. The boy took a step toward him.

"Oy Potter, what happened after we had to leave the corridor? Did… did they really find her stone dead? Did… did you really have something to do with it?" The boy asked. Before Harry could answer, Neville cut in.

"Piss off wanker, Harry didn't do anything to Padma. Millers' a lying git, isn't that right Harry?" Neville said jumping to Harry's defense. Harry stopped for a moment, and looked at Neville for a second a depressed look on his face. He couldn't talk now, couldn't tell Neville that Miller wasn't a lying git, and at least from his perspective told the truth as far as he knew. Harry turned his head back to the entrance to the staircase that led to his dorm, and walked up to his room. There were a few Griffendores standing by the door, and as Harry casually approached they seemed to recoil in fear. After climbing the stairs, and entering his room; Harry threw himself onto his bed and cried long and hard, using his pillow to muffle the sound of his moans, and the sight of the tears running down his face. It was his worst fear, it was going to be just like last year, and there was _nothing_ he could do about it!

Over the next several days Harry barely spoke to anyone, but Hermione, Ron and Luna. Ginny was there to lend support on occasion, but was spending more time with her new boyfriend. As for the other students, they appeared to be forming their camps. Harry did have some supporters, in students like Susan Bones, and Neville Long bottom, and most of the former DA, but just as many people appeared to sneer at him. Among those were many Huffelpuffs who seemed to no yet have forgiven him for the incident with Cindy Miggins on the Quidditch Pitch, and the Slytherin's who had always had a hatred for himself and other Griffendores. At least he did not have to take that personally, except for the fact that Fiona Burrows didn't look at him once from their table. It was actually the only time he ever saw her lately, and he wondered if she was trying to avoid him_. No, can't be. She said she would support me to the end, forever loyal. _However most students seemed to avoid him like the plague, giving him a wide berth whenever he passed, and scooting there chairs to the far extremes from where ever he sat down in class. Many even whispered to each other about him at the great hall, giving him sinister stairs that caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. Chief among these were Beverly Jones and Cho's other Ravenclaw friends. Harry remembered her threats about what would happen to him if he hurt any of her friends very clearly, and actually believed that if she had the opportunity she would carry them out.

As the days passed he did note that two students had been absent from the great hall, and classes. Allen Miller and Parvati Patel were not to be seen in the following days, and Harry had questioned Professor McGonagall as to why. Harry was surprised to find that Allen Miller was in detention for spreading lies about him to other students, and Parvati was to distraught to go to class over the death of her sister. Harry had wanted to see Parvati more than anyone now. He wanted to tell her that he had nothing to do with her sisters death, and that what Miller said wasn't what really happened, but she was staying in one of the guest rooms of the castle with her parents, and they were not to be disturbed under any circumstances, while they made ready to leave for their journey back to London.

Dumbledore had Harry go to room #473 on a Sunday. He told Harry that he needed him to look at everything that happened, to find out if he could see anything out of place. Dumbledore again recreated the scene, looking at every detail of the image of Harry's brutal acts, and listening to the reasons that his mirror image gave for killing Padma. Harry saw himself saying things that he didn't believe at all about hating purebloods.

"**I tied you up Bitch**… because, I hate purebloods like you. You people act like your better than everyone else, and I take a lot of flack from the Slytherin's about not being completely pure. That's why I zapped that Slytherin boy on the train, and that's why I'm going to hurt you. You and Miller think that you can yell at me and get away with it? Do you know how angry I was? That was insulting, arguing with me like that. I'm going to make all you purebloods pay; I'm going to make sure that there is no place in the wizarding world for any of you. One by one, I'm going to take you all out." Harry's image said in front of him. It was a lie, and Harry wanted to zap his image with his wand, but knew that it was futile, it was just an image of the past that looked like him, and talked like him, but wasn't real now. There was noting that he could do. Harry watched wit Dumbledore as the cabnet opened and the hornets flew out by the hundreds, painfully stinging Padma to death, he heard the beatings of their wings, and the horrid screams from Padma, as they beast crawled over her. He couldn't take the sight anymore, his breathing became heavy and he ran outside the room and vomited. He was shaking, and sobbing, as he looked up at Dumbledore.

"Never again… never again. I… I don't want to see it again." Harry said with a tone of finality.

"I'm sorry Harry, but I must know if you see anything out of place, something that doesn't look right. I know how horrible to look at, I've been down hear several times myself. I also hate to look at it, but I have to find out how someone impersonated you." Dumbledore said in an apologetic tone.

"What about Draco Malfoy? What about Marietta Edgecombe?" Harry asked. "Where were they when the things that I supposedly did happened." Harry asked.

"They both have a valid excuse for where they were at the time. Harry, both well away from the Quidditch Pitch and I recreated where Miller said you threatened him and Padma. Both Mr. Malfoy and Miss Edgecombe were nowhere near the area, and had witnesses to the fact. The same with the other children of Death Eaters, all have an alibi. You're the only one that doesn't Harry." Dumbledore said.

"What do you mean? I had detentions in Filch's office when Miller was threatened." Harry complained.

"Well he said that you didn't show up until late, so you could conceivably had time to…" Dumbledore continued, but was again cut off.

"I don't care… I didn't do anything. I'm innocent. I shouldn't have to go through this." Harry said. He stood up and stormed off in absolute frustration. Rounding a corner he saw Fiona Burrows talking to Draco Malfoy, and some other Slytherin's. He walked up to her.

"Fiona, can I talk to you alone for a moment please?" Harry asked. Fiona recoiled as if Harry were a disgusting thing standing in front of her.

"Potter I… what do you want?" she asked in a surprised tone.

"Look I really need to talk to you alone please." Harry asked pleading. Fiona rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She looked back at her companions and promised to be back in a moment, and headed to a secluded corner with Harry.

"Look. I really need to spend some time with you. I've been really depressed and I need to talk to someone about…" Harry started, but stopped when Fiona put her hand up to silence him.

"Look Harry I'm very busy right now. I don't have time." She said shortly. Harry was taken aback at her rudeness. But decided to let it go.

"Fiona, can we talk after classes. I've just been really down lately, and need to talk to someone about…"

"Harry… I can't be seen with you anymore!" Fiona said in a frustrated tone. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Wh… what are you talking about?" Harry asked blankly. "I didn't have anything to do with what happened to Padma Patel. Miller was wrong about what he said he saw." Harry said nervously.

"It doesn't matter Potter. The truth is that… weather you guilty or not this incident has done massive damage to your popularity, and I just don't need to be caught up in the fall out. I have a reputation to protect. People expect certain standards from me, and being seen with a boy everyone considers a danger to others isn't exactly good for my reputation. So… please understand that I don't need to be seen with you anymore." Fiona said with a tone of finality.

"But Fiona, I need you right now, I…" Harry started.

"Potter, please just go away." Fiona stated. As she looked up Fiona noted several other Slytherin students around her were looking at the exchange with keen interest. Fiona turned once more to Harry, and cleared her throat.

"**I'm breaking up with you Potter. I Fiona Burrows don't need to be seen with the likes of you." **She shouted, and turned on her heal to rejoin her fellow Slytherin's, leaving Harry feeling at the bottom of the world. He stood there for a few minutes silent as several students gave him quizzical looks as they walked by on their way to class, each of them keeping a distance. It now seemed to most people that he wasn't any longer, The Harry Potter anymore, but again Harry Potter freak, and danger to other students again.

Suddenly Harry felt a taping on his shoulder. He turned around to see two men in green robes with grim faces staring at him.

Mr. Harry Potter. We need you to come with us." One of the men said curtly.

"Who are you?" Harry asked.

"I'm Daffed Walsh, and this is Gordon Primfold. We're with the Ministry of Magic, and we have a few questions to ask you. Harry's heart sunk, as they let him towards Dumbledore's office. He had no idea of what to expect now, but he was afraid.


	59. Chapter 59

Anon:No I don't actually. It's just that life is this miserable thing that we all have to endure for too long, and all life is suffering. Suffering until we don't exist anymore, and then the suffering ends. Harry and Cho are good people, so they must suffer. However as this is fiction, they may yet end up happy together, but I wonder if I will have anything to do with it, as I'm running out of time for this fic. I'll do my best.

This is chapter fifty nine… I shold have been done by now, but I'm not, and I'm sorry. I'll try to knock out some more chapters soon. Take care everyone.

**Chapter 59: The Two Letters. **

Harry sat on a bench in the corridor outside of storage room #473 as Dumbledore and the Ministry officials observed the events that had taken place that fateful day inside the room itself. Apparently Dumbledore hadn't expected the Ministry officials to arrive for a few days, with the mail cut off, but somehow the Ministry had found out and sent these two men to investigate, and they were not too happy about not being informed about that discovery of the body until several days after. Dumbledore stated just before he had led them into the storage room that Harry had been sat up, and that he was in the process of investigating who was behind the scheme. From what Harry could tell, they didn't look any too impressed.

After a short time, the Dumbledore and the Ministry officials exited the room. Mr. Primfold had turned pale, and look like he might vomit, he turned to Harry and began shaking. Mr. Primfold, looked shaken as well, but less so. He turned to Mr. Primfold.

"Gordon, perhaps you should go back to the Head Masters office, I'll finish up here before we leave." Mr. Walsh stated. Mr. Primfold nodded, then looked at Harry again with a look of fear on his face, and ran off down the corridor. Mr. Walsh then turned to Harry with a grim look on his face.

"Well Mr. Potter, what do you have to say for yourself?" He asked strait forward. Harry lowered his head.

"I didn't do it. I know what it looks like, but I swear that I didn't do it." Harry said sincerely. Mr. Walsh looked him over for a few minutes as if studying him for a sign of a lie.

"Perhaps Mr. Potter, but the evidence against you is quite overwhelming. I've gone over your behavior this year. According to school records, you attacked three students on the train ride up here, you attacked a girl on the Quidditch Pitch, which I know that Quidditch is a rough sport, but from what people said you were excessive in your brutality. To add to that Allen Miller said that you threatened him and Padma Patel before her body turned up missing, and now… now we have this." Mr. Walsh said pointing at the storage room. "Is there any reason… other than the fact that you claim that you're innocent?" Mr. Pinfold asked. Harry looked up at him with a depressed expression on his face.

"How can you think me guilty? I helped defeat Voldermort last year at…" Harry started but paused for a second as Mr. Pinfold shuttered at the Dark Lords name. "… at the Ministry of Magic. So why would I do something so evil?" Harry asked. Walsh stood firm.

"Yes, well… that will be discussed at the hearing concerning the incident at the Ministry. It's a separate matter." Walsh said. Harry scratched his head in confusion.

"What hearing, my court hearing for this? Harry asked pointing to the storage room. Mr. Walsh shook his head.

"No Mr. Potter, A few Ministry officials, and some concerned citizens in the Magic world have lodged a challenge to what Dumbledore and yourself claimed what happened at the Ministry over the summer. They claim that your story is exaggerated, if true at all. You will have to prove your case in court." Mr. Walsh said in a monotone. Harry was shocked, and Dumbledore looked equally distraught.

"What are you talking about Mr. Walsh? I was there, and so was Harry. We both saw what happened. The Death Eaters led by Voldermort attacked Harry and his friends at the ministry, and tried to steal the prophecy. How can you doubt that?" Dumbledore asked.

"I don't doubt that so much Dumbledore, but a challenge has been lodged against you. Potter has been accused of having you under the imperious curse, and forcing you to tell lies. He has you to back up his story, and his friends, but they are a bunch of children, so some consider their testimony to be not as credible. In addition, Luscious Malfoy is also a credible member of this world, or at least he is thought so in some circles, and still has champions in higher places. What of the adults that you said were there, but refuse to name? You need to bring them in as witnesses. You have mentioned that you are a part of a secret order that was set up to defend people from You-Know-Who if he ever returned. But without adult witnesses, your story is questionable. The Daily Profit aside, anyone can refute your version of the events if you lack proof, and we haven't really had an incident since then. The Society of Truth, Uniformity, Purity, Intellectualism and Domination, has openly stated that they do not believe that the events happened as you have stated. They are bringing their concerns to court, and with what I've just seen, you need to bring your witnesses forward." Mr. Walsh finished in an emotionless tone.

"That society is a racist organization led by a bigoted thug who was kicked out of this country long ago for trying to cast false blame on the half bloods and muggleborne students, how can anyone in the Ministry allow such an organization to bring up such nonsense?" Dumbledore asked infuriated. Walsh nodded his head.

"I agree it is a despicable society, and perhaps under other circumstances its protest would be thrown out, however… they do make good points about the lack of witnesses. We need to talk to adults that were there. When can you have them ready to testify Dumbledore?" Mr. Walsh asked.

"I can't. I can't expose the Order, its secret. Many are under cover, and exposing them would put them in great danger, and others are in Eastern Europe, and cannot be pulled off assignment. We would lose many leads that could bring us to the Death Eaters and their master." Dumbledore explained.

"Dumbledore, you must see the situation from my perspective. A girl has been killed, brutally. Potter has been abusing students since before he even arrived at Hogwarts, and now I see these images of him committing the act. What do you think you would do in my shoes? Just let him stay here? Act like nothing happened?" Walsh said, with a bit of a raised temper. Dumbledore shook his head.

"Just give me time to find the real killer." Dumbledore pleaded.

"Potter has to be kept away from the other students, if something were to happen to him because of my letting him stay here, well than that would be my job, not to mention on my conscious. I don't completely believe that he did this, but… well, I have no choice. Mr. Potter will be confined to a guest room for the next few days, and after that we will be escorting him to the Ministry of Magic, where he will be kept in a cell until the incident can be settled. Dumbledore, have you considered that Potter might be under the imperious curse? Maybe if you are right about him returning than he can control Mr. Potter. Maybe You-Know-who is forcing him to do this?" Walsh asked. Dumbledore nodded, the thought had occurred to him. We have to keep him away from the others. He will have his homework brought to him in his room, as well as his food. No visitors. Come Tuesday night we will take him to the Ministry, and by the next week, you should have your witnesses ready to come to his defense about the battle of the Ministry."

"Your making a terrible mistake Walsh… what about protecting Harry from Voldermort?" Dumbledore complained, as Mr. Walsh cringed at the name.

"There are Aurors all over the ministry these days; security has been strengthened to extraordinary levels. Mr. Potter will be well protected. While here, if he promises not to attempt to escape I will not put him in chains, and even allow him to fly his own broom when we leave for the Ministry. That, I'm sure you'll agree is more than fair Dumbledore." Mr. Walsh said. Dumbledore nodded.

"Any more questions for me Dumbledore?" Mr. Walsh asked.

"I was only curious to know how you found out about the incident so fast?" Dumbledore said.

"A letter was delivered to the Ministry, informing us, in great detail of Mr. Potters… indiscretions." Mr. Walsh said. Dumbledore nodded.

"I see, a letter by Owl?" Dumbledore said.

"No Dumbledore, a letter by person. Some hooded man actually came to me as I was leaving the Ministry, informed me of strange events going on here, and gave me the letter about Potter."

"And who was he?" Dumbledore asked.

"I don't know, he wore a hood and left hastily. We checked the letter to see if it was cursed, but it wasn't, anyway the Minister sent me here. Now what's it too be Dumbledore? Are you going to fight us over this?" Mr. Walsh asked. Dumbledore gave a sigh.

"Very well Mr. Walsh. I'm against the whole idea, but I know circumstances being what they are… you have no choice. But I need to speak to Harry alone for a few minutes." Dumbledore said. Mr. Walsh nodded, and left promising to be back in half an hour. Dumbledore plopped down hard on the bench in which Harry sat, and gave an exhausted sigh. He than turned to Harry.

"I… I've been over every inch of that room. Looked at you from top to bottom, to see anything that might be able to let me know it was someone else. I couldn't find a thing. The only odd thing about the room is that there is a window in the wall, but I found nothing that I can prove your innocence with. I'm sorry Harry, but for now… you will have to go with what the Ministry officials say. Dumbledore said apologetically. Harry looked up at him.

"Professor, you said that the walls had memory. Couldn't you show that I was asleep in my room, and that… well that I didn't come down here?" Harry asked hopefully, trying to come up with some evidence to clear him self.

"One of the first things I tried Harry. Somehow… the walls have lost their memory of that time. There is noting there. All the way down to the storage room I tried to discover any proof that you were framed, but I found nothing. Likewise in Padma Patel's dorm room, I found nothing. Potential witnesses were all asleep in both Houses. I'm sorry Harry, but I promise you I will not stop looking, until I find proof, and I will find proof, just give it time." Dumbledore said sincerely. Harry had another pressing concern he needed to ask Dumbledore about.

"What… what about the challenge that the society made? What about the appearance in court? What's to happen to me then?" Harry asked hesitantly. Dumbledore's eyes lowered.

"I suppose that I have no choice Harry. I'm going to have to pull several Order members out of secrecy; I know I'll be able to convince the Ministry then." Dumbledore said with a twinge of regret. Harry stood up in a panic.

"But that would put everyone in danger! You can't do that just for me. Please Dumbledore; you have to find another way." Harry pleaded.

"I'm sorry Harry, but there is no other way. You are the one who will defeat Voldermort, and you have to remain free to do so. The witnesses are credible, and it will cause the societies challenge to collapse. They cannot believe that you have everyone under the imperious curse, and you will be out in a few days. And it will put some in danger, but I will have them withdraw from their spying missions first to lesson the danger. I'm afraid through no fault of your own; that the secret Order of the Phoenix will no longer be secrete any more. But we will still manage. You see I… " Dumbledore continued but was cut off by Professor McGonagall, who had entered the corridor unnoticed.

"Head Master, we have a problem. There is a man from the Daily Profit who is demanding to see you. He says he has word that Harry Potter had killed a student and it is deliberately being kept from the press. He has a permission pass from the Ministry of Magic, and demands that the public has a right to know if you are keeping things from them. He also says that if it's true, and you don't speak with him that he will be writing to say that you're putting your students in danger." McGonagall said in one exhausted upset breath.

"What? This is preposterous. How did a newspaper man get Ministry permission to do this?" Dumbledore said upset. "Come on Harry we're going to have a chat with this cheeky fellow." Dumbledore said standing up, and marching down the corridor.

Dumbledore and Harry arrived in Professor McGonagall's office to find the stout, grinning newspaper man waiting for them with quill and parchment in hand. Harry recognized him instantly as Tristan Grimbold, the editor of the Daily Profit who said that he always had supported Harry, when Harry gave him his autograph at Diagon Alley.

"Ahh Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Potter. It's good to finally see you again." Mr. Grimbold started. "Now I'm here because…"

"I've been told why you're here Mr. Grimbold, and I'm quite frankly appalled. Mr. Potter here has not put anyone under the imperious curse, and to threaten to print such a thing is a travesty." Dumbledore said quietly but frankly.

"Now Dumbledore, you refused to see me and the organization fielding a challenge to the Ministry right now has come to us, expressing their concern that people have been convicted on the evidence of mere children, with no adult witnesses claim that you were under Potter's control, and that he was the one trying to steal something in the Ministry. Actually Dumbledore if these children did go there in the dead of night, and you sent them…" Mr. Grimbold started.

"I did not send them there!" Dumbledore said calmly.

"Of coarse… than is it normal for under age children to take off from your school in Scotland and head off unsupervised to England in the dead of night… without your knowledge you or your staff Dumbledore?" in an airy voice.

"I… that's not it, Voldermort attacked the Ministry of Magic, and they went to rescue Sirius Black." Dumbledore said caught a little off guard by Grimbold stab at teacher supervision at Hogwarts.

Well in any event, you can see the confusion that might arise in some people, children battling Death Eaters in the Ministry. At first our readers were quite content to take the story without question, _The Harry Potter_ battling death eaters, but now they have started having reservations about many of the people involved, and who is being blamed, and even… if your summation of events is even that accurate." Grimbold stated. Dumbledore gave him a loathing look.

"I'm just doing my job to make the news you know." He said defensively.

"No. It's your job to report the news… accurately. Everything happened exactly as was said. And we will be proving that in an upcoming court case raised against us. If you want accurate reporting on the story, than cover _that_ and you'll see this sick societies story fall like a house of cards." Dumbledore said evenly. "Until then, I don't think that Harry or I can comment on it."

Grimbold gave a smirk, and started writing something down.

"Interesting, now how about Harry Potter's attack on students at this school of late, including one death I believe, one horrible death of a poor dear little girl." Do you have any comment on that?" Grimbold asked. Dumbledore looked bitterly over his half moon spectacles' at the man.

"So the Ministry has sent you to make determinations, and accusations before anyone has had their day in court, or even been charged with a crime, is that it?" Dumbledore stated more than asked. "Since you seem to have all the information, were given it by the Ministry, and seemed determined to make up your own version of the story, than why do you even bother asking me questions?" Dumbledore inquired. Mr. Grimbold frowned.

"Now, now Dumbledore… I don't do any false reporting… I'm giving you a chance to explain your side, and I haven't been given any information by the ministry. I was sent information this weekend about the happenings here at Hogwarts. And just for the record… I think that the public has a right to know weather you keep your students safe or not, on attack on the train, one near death on the Quidditch Pitch, and now a horrible death in the school, I wonder if your even fit to protect these students from harm." Grimbold pressed in a dark tone. Dumbledore slammed his fist against the stone wall in rage, and his eyes winched in pain for a fleeting moment, but he recovered instantly.

"Now you listen to me Grimbold! I'll have you know that…" But something stopped him dead in his thought, and he looked as Grimbold stunned, looking as if he was trying to reflect on something he had just said. "What… what do you mean you weren't given any information by the Ministry? They sent you here… didn't they?"

"I had permission to come here from the Ministry, I had to obtain a pass from them, but I made the decision to come here myself. And they didn't supply me with any information; I was sent the information by letter." Grimbold stated hotly. Dumbledore's eyebrow lifted.

"But… all owls are subject to search, the Ministry would now have allowed you to see a letter like that, at least not without verifying it first, and they themselves have only just arrived. Who sent you the Owl?" Dumbledore asked, now in a very moment for him, confused.

"It was not sent the letter by owl; I was approached in the street by a hooded man. He handed me the letter, and told me about Potter attacking the students on the train, and Quidditch pitch, said you were under the imperious curse. Of coarse I didn't believe him at first, but he told me to interview, a very sick girl in St. Mungoes named Cindy Miggins, who has suffered brain damage. Apparently, from what her parents told me, she was attacked by Harry Potter. They were waiting for the results of an investigation before going to the press, but were eager to talk with me since the Ministry have been… dragging their feet on the issue, and you appeared to be stonewalling them. At least that's how it looks from my point of view. Naturally with this, I had to investigate further, so I apparated over to Hogsmead, and walked here to investigate." Grimbold finished. Dumbledore eyed him suspiciously for a moment.

"Who was the man who gave you the information?" He asked.

"I don't know, he was wearing a hood over his face, but he seemed very intent to give me this information. Said the information came from inside Hogwarts itself, well like I said, I hardly believed it, but decided to go see about the Miggins girl out of mild curiosity, and it looks like a good idea after all. Seems there is a great deal of truth to what he was saying. Now… do you want to go on record Dumbledore?" Grimbold asked. Dumbledore remained silent for a moment, before he spoke next.

"No… and neither does Potter. If you want to find out about what happened, then you need to go to the court. _Good day sir_." Dumbledore said directing Professor McGonagall to show him the way out of the castle. Mr. Grimbold left with an unhappy look on his face. Once Grimbold was away, and only and Harry and himself were in the office, Dumbledore sat in one of the wooden chairs in the room, and gave a sigh. He sat in silence thinking for a bit, until Harry asked a question.

"Sir… what does this mean?" Harry asked nervously. Dumbledore looked at Harry with a sad expression on his face.

"It means that I must do as you suggested, and trust the operation of events in Eastern Europe to those under my command, and it means… that I will have to start organizing the members of the order of the Phoenix tomorrow for the court case, and it also means… that at least in the papers for a while, that you shall have to play the villain for a while Harry, I'm sorry, it's not fair, but that git Grimbold is right, until the court case, we don't have anything but our word that it's what happened. And now that I think about it, I was negligent in letting underage students leave school to battle adult death eaters, something I and the order should have been doing." Dumbledore stated.

"Come on, we won the battle, and you and the rest of the order were there too. And we snuck out." Harry said.

"Precisely Harry and it was because I had been influencing you to break the rules in a way. And I of course would not have thought ill of you going, being the one who is destined to fight Voldermort, but… what business did I have taking such pleasure in other children going against him. Mr. Wesley, Miss Granger, and Miss Lovegood. Just children and what business did they have going after the most powerful dark wizard in the world. I was so impressed with their skill that I forgot about their age. Children have no business going to war in my stead. I'll always regret that." Dumbledore said with a self loathing tone.

"Come on sir, we snuck out, and you couldn't have possibly known, we didn't fight in your stead, you didn't know that we left, and we went to rescue Sirius, even though he turned out not to be there." Harry said trying to console Dumbledore.

"Just the point Harry, I should have taken more of an interest in the security of the school, and in you and your friends in particular. I should have trained you in occlumency, and not Professor Snape, and I should not have made so many mistakes that I did throughout last year. I must be slipping in my old age, but now I'm going to fix it. I'm going to make sure that students cannot take trips out of the school at a whim, and now I'm going to make sure that I stay in the country, and I'm going to make sure that your going to not stay in that cell, because I'm going to convince the Ministry officials to not treat you like a criminal and put you in a more comfortable room that you should only have to stay at for one night when your absolved by the testimonies of the Order members. I'm going to make sure that your vindicated Harry because the night before you leave I'm going to talk directly with the new Minister of magic, and I'm going to be there waiting for you when you get there. I'm going to fix this I promise" Dumbledore finished. The door suddenly squeaked open, and Dumbledore turned to see Mr. Filch peering at him with a concerned look on his face.

"Yes Mr. Filch?" Dumbledore asked.

"Sir, the Ministry officials would like to make sure Potter gets to his room now." Filch said in a casual tone. Dumbledore nodded, and ushered Harry to the door. _No use delaying the inevitable_. Harry thought.


	60. Chapter 60

reddragonn343: Thanks very much for the review, and I'll try to finish off with the story as quickly as possible if I can. Sorry about the long waits.

Fenraellis: Wow, that is a long review, and I love it! I think I'm getting to be a bit of an attention whore, at least when it comes to my fanfic, just wanting to see if anyone is still reading really. I'll of cores answer all of your comments in a private reply soon, but I'll try and hit a few of them on here as well.

Firstly: Cho asking Luna was out of the question. For one thing Cho always assumes the worst when it comes to her chances for a relationship. Doom and gloom, so Cho just already knows in her mind that Harry being with… or rather still being with Hermione is the logical answer as to why they are all together. Luna, being Luna never thinks to ask Harry this, and because he seems more friendly towards her than Ron, she assumes the same thing. In addition Luna being with Ron, even though he told her that he didn't want a commitment, has fallen for him, and thinks that he really wants more from her too. In addition, besides being a romance, this story is about _**perspectives**_ more than anything else. It's about the other world that people we know well or in passing live in, and how the situation looks to them. Cho's mother is sick, but she can't tell anyone because of her promise to her father. Cho is sneaking around trying to find a cure for her mother, and myrtle sees her performing jinxes on the torso. Luna lets it slip out that Cho's mum is sick to the school and Cho takes offence to it, considering a form of betrayal. From different peoples perspective it looks as if some people are behaving in a devious manner, when there is an explanation. The fact that people don't ask the easy questions is a theme in the tale. It's about how we can all make damaging assumptions, and the consequences of our actions. Granted Cho is not being as open as Harry would like, but she is also not being as open as she would like. Cho doesn't know about Neville or Ron much, just as Harry doesn't know about Nancy, Beverly and Erica. The two do not yet have too many friends in common, only Luna really. In addition, the two have pasts that neither of them know about. Cho doesn't know that Harry's Muggle relatives hated him, and he doesn't know that Cho went to China for a few years to study before coming to Hogwarts. As far as the investigation… well I'm not really that good at storytelling. I wanted Dumbledore to be preoccupied with the war so much that he could not focus entirely on the school. Also I needed him to be tired from the searches. I forgot about all magic leaving a trace, but considering they are in a magic school, well a lot of magic would be used in the school, and I guessed that it would be the equivalent of someone calling in a bomb threat from a pay phone. The fingerprint team would get hundreds of samples from everyone who used the phone, and it would be difficult to prove. As far as the pensive thing, well I just didn't think about it. Memory charms? Harry would remember zapping Miggins, and killing Patel in the pensive. The Masters did use the charms to recreate what happened in the library, but saw only that Marietta and Lori were right in saying that Cho was not attacked there. To add, since Marietta could have brought many witnesses, the Masters considered the case closed. Harry believing Cho after Luna told him about her mum was meant to be an epiphany of his love for her more than anything. He just took it on faith that Cho was acting weird because of her mum, and that things were going to fall into place soon enough. It would have been at this point that he might have confronted her with the easy questions, but she had to leave. Life is a tragedy, and we often don't think to ask the questions we should, instead we make the accusations we shouldn't, jumping o conclusions. But this story is fiction, so if I do finish it, Harry and Cho have the possibility for a happy ending, and if I cannot finish… I may pass it off to someone who can give them that.

**Chapter 60: Dumbledore is the Priority **

Marietta stormed down the many corridors in great strides, as her lover and her best friend hurried to keep up with her. Her face was flushed red, and she had a scowl that caused other students that saw her approaching to give her a wide berth. After a short time the three students reached Filches office, and Marietta slammed with full force on the door so hard it echoed down the long expanse of the corridor. After a moment the door was flung open just missing Marietta's nose and Filch jumped out looking up and screaming with a bitter look on his face.

"**I told you to piss off you stupid poltergeist! Your not…"** Filch started but broke in mid sentence when he noticed Marietta and her companions standing in front of him. "Oh, it's you. I thought it was Peeves, that Miserable poltergeist has been banging on my door trying to get in for the last few days. Well… what do you lot want?" Filch questioned. Marietta's face was flush red, and her angry expression only intensified when she looked at her _dear_ uncle. She thrust a finger past Filch to the open door of his office.

"**Inside!"** Marietta shouted. Filch looked around, Danielle and Seamus were the only other students in the area.

"You shouldn't shout at me, the other students might get suspicious if they see you giving me orders." Filch said quietly.

"**Inside!"** Marietta shouted again, pointing at the door. Filch bit his lip seeming to try and control a hateful retort, but finally stood aside ushering the three of them in. Marietta walked into the room noticing that there were only three chairs. She glided to the far wall with her back to the others. She did not speak until she herd Filch close and lock the door. **"Sit! Everyone sit!" **Marietta ordered. The thought of having her Uncle sit on the floor due to the lack of chairs ran through her mind, but fortunately for him she didn't feel like sitting down herself. Marietta turned abruptly and walked over to Filch with a cold look in her eyes. "You've been going over my head! It seems you've had a chat with the professor over the weekend, without telling me. You're to tell me what you talked about!" Marietta demanded. Filch stood up and slammed his hand down on the desk.

"I only have to tell you what Professor Watson ordered me to tell you. I have my own orders you know, that don't have anything to do with you!" Filch said bitterly.

"I am in charge of this mission, and I don't need your interference. If you start working against me, I will make you pay… _Uncle."_ Marietta shouted pointing her thumb back at herself.

"And I am the only one here who can go outside of the school at anytime he bloody well pleases. I have the privilege of having more communication with Professor Watson. He depends on me to keep him updated every weekend, you can't even leave the school unless there is a Hogsmead trip. I'm only doing my job when I talk to him. Did you really think he wouldn't want weekly updates on your progress? Or might I say your lack or progress. Potter is a danger to other students, and especially Purebloods. It's important that Potter be out of the castle, if it were not than Professor Watson would not have had one of our people inform the Press, and the Ministry. I merely informed him of the happening in Hogwarts, as he had instructed me." Filch explained, happy to let Marietta know that he had more communication with the leader of the Society of late than his niece.

"I need Potter here a little longer." It's vital that he be held responsible for other… incidence. We must find a way to keep him here. Why didn't the Professor tell me that you were giving him weekly reports?" Marietta asked feeling slightly betrayed. A smile came across Fiche's face.

"Maybe he doesn't trust you as much as you think he does." Marietta pulled out her wand on her Uncle at the insult, looking ready to lay a curse on him. **"How dare you! I am still a member of the Hogwarts staff, even if you are the head of this mission I could have you in detention for the rest of the year."** Filch said with rage.

"Hold your tong _**squib**_, I could lay a dozen jinxes on you, and top it off with a memory charm to make you think it was Potter who was responsible." Marietta said through gritted teeth as Filch sat down looking defeated.

"Heh heh heh, squib? You're a bloody squib? How pathetic." Danielle snickered. Filch looked even more hurt.

"At least I'm still a pureblood!" he said in his defense. Marietta moved over to the desk coming nose to nose with her Uncle.

"Than act like a pureblood and stop working against me. I need your help if were to take care of Potter once and for all. But it has to be done in the right way." Marietta said in a more calm tone. Filch reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a piece of parchment. He slid it over to Marietta, who looked at it quizzically.

"It's from the Professor. From what he tells me… Potter is the least of your concerns right now." Filch said quietly. Marietta read through the letter, her eyes becoming wide with shock as she finished.

_**Marietta,**_

_**Congratulations on having Potter accused of the Pureblood girl's death. A good job indeed and you have shown true skill in your ability to cover things up. Your mastery of the dark arts is greater than ever, and I'm pleased to see the years of training have not been wasted. However, your progress is too slow, and we must make Dumbledore our priority. Take care of him now or turn over control of the mission to your uncle. Use whatever means necessary at whatever cost, but do not expose the Society. If you succeed the rewards will be limitless. Failure will be costly. You have one week. Remember, everyone is expendable, even you. Replace Dumbledore as soon as possible. It's time for you to earn the trust that has been given to you.**_

_**Great faith will be placed in you, and I look forward to hearing of your success.**_

_**Sincerely, **_

_**Professor Watson.**_

Marietta's hands trembled, and the parchment fell to the floor, and slid under the desk. She noticed that her uncle did not seem to take any particular joy in her worried expression. Clearly, he had read the letter as well, and knew that while under Marietta's orders failure would have dire consequences for him as well.

"What… what did the letter say Marietta?" Danielle asked. Marietta reached into her purse and pulled out a cigarette. Her hands still shook as she brought it up to her lips and lit up. After taking a long drag she turned to Danielle.

"I need you to go now Danielle, and tell everyone there will be a meeting in the library tomorrow night at eight. Uncle Filch will make sure that… that we have privacy. I'll explain everything then." Marietta said in what now seemed like a tired voice.

"But what did the letter say?" Danielle persisted.

"I told you, I'll explain everything tomorrow night. Go and let the others know, and be as discreet as possible about it." Marietta said in a tone of finality. Danielle nodded, and started out the door. **"Danielle!" **Marietta called behind her. She turned around to face Marietta, who walked over and gave her a tight hug, then kissed her on the forehead. "Look, you need to make sure you get some sleep tonight. Go to bed early. I'm going to especially need you rested for the coming events, your one of the very few people I know I can count on no matter what." Marietta said with absolute sincerity. Danielle was her best friend, and she had wanted to tell her about the letter before anyone else, but she knew that she had to discuss things over with her lover first.

"Will… will you be ready Marietta?" her uncle asked concerned. She looked up at him without disgust for the first time since she was very little.

"I'm not sure. I have to check some things first. I'll let you know at the meeting tomorrow night at the meeting. I need you to reserve the library. I also need you to let us have the use of your office tonight. We have some issues to discuss about what will happen in the next few days." Marietta said politely and gesturing to her lover.

"You mean so you two can shag tonight." Filch said sneering. Marietta felt like she was going to tell her uncle off, but didn't feel like bickering anymore. The whole situation was weighing heavily on her and she just didn't have the energy to fight right now.

"Uncle… _please_." Marietta asked politely. She didn't have to ask, and her uncle seemed to understand this, and then gruffly promised her that he would be doing late rounds, but that the two of them should be out by eight in the morning. Marietta left Filches living quarters to get something to wear that night, but returned quickly and stayed for the remainder of the day, telling the false Seamus Finnegan to meet her back in the room at nine that evening. For the remainder of the night Marietta waved her wand about saying several incantations in order to make the dim room look lavish. She cleaned the living quarters, changed the sheets and pillow cases on the bed, set out scented candles, and even conjured up some massaging oil in a caldron that Filch had in his office. Once Filch had left she showered, lit the candles, applied her makeup and slipped into some revealing lingerie, waiting for her lover to share this night with her.

The false Seamus arrived late at nine forty five, looking quite pale, and explaining that he again had to avoid several house elves, and the Gray Lady on his journey from the Griffendore common room to the Office of her Uncle. Once he stepped into the living quarters adjacent to the office he seemed to marvel at how clean, and decorative the place had been made. Marietta ushered him over to a small table lit with floating candles. Two wine glasses, and two silver platters were placed on each end of the table, their contents covered up by silver domes, and a bottle of Château de la Somme, an expensive wine found only in the Wizarding world, was set in an Ice tray. Marietta gently grabbed her lover's hand, and lightly guided him to his seat without a word. She then moved her wand in smooth strokes, and the bottle of wine preceded to poor some of its contents into the two respective glasses. Marietta then sat in her seat across from her lover and moved her wand in small circles lifting the silver domes off their platters and revealing a juicy, steaming sirloin steak, with mixed veggies on the side under each. Seamus inhaled deeply the pleasant odor of the meal.

"It smells wonderful. Did you make this?" he asked politely. Marietta giggled.

"Of coarse not silly. The women of my family don't cook much, that's for servants. I had a house elf bring it up here, then memory charmed to forget and sent him on his way." Marietta giggled nervously at the idea of herself cooking such a meal. "However the house elves at this school do a wonderful job, so I'm sure you won't be disappointed." She smiled as her lover cut up his food and took a first bite.

"Mmmmm... I'm certainly not. You went through a lot of trouble, and tell me… what else do you have planned for this evening Marietta?" He asked with a smirk. Marietta smiled sensually.

"Some slow, romantic music… some sensual snogging, and… then the most passionate love making of our lives." She said in a quiet voice. Seamus smiled, and finished another bite of his steak.

"Such a wonderful occasion, to celebrate our victory, over our enemies. You've really gone out of your way to note the coming occasion." Seamus said gingerly. A sad look came across Marietta's face. She lowered her head for a moment, and then raised it again looking intently at Seamus.

"No my love, it's not celebration of our victory. We haven't faced Dumbledore yet. If we fail… we will not have an opportunity to have another night like this. This could be our last night of freedom together, our last chance to be together alone. I've been thinking about this night and the consequences for failure all day. The outcome will not be good if we don't succeed. This could be the last night we ever spend together." Marietta said quietly. Seamus nodded.

"I see your point. It's a lot to weigh on your mind. You've worked so hard to make it to this point and now you're having doubts. It's affecting your personality. You were even nice to your uncle today. I did want to ask what that was about." Seamus queered.

"With the letter… we both realized that our lives were in danger for real now. I guess our private bickering… just seemed a bit insignificant. In addition he must have been told about Padma's death. I'm sure that the Professor convinced him of the necessity, but I'm equally sure that he must be struggling with guilt… as to a point, I am. If we get caught… than we _all_ get caught, Uncle Filch as well. Tomorrow you and I are going to be sick, so we don't have to go to class. We need to plan our confrontation with Dumbledore together. But tonight, tonight were not going to discuss it any longer. Tonight is just for us.

Through the rest of the meal Marietta noticed that her lover did not look to healthy. His skin was pale, his eyes carried dark circles under his eyes, and even coughed a bit. Despite his smiles, she could tell that maybe he wasn't feeling as well as he was letting on.

"Love, what's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" She asked. Her lover waved her concern away.

"It's not me… it's the real Seamus Finnegan. We've had him locked away from the world in solitary confinement for months now. He's eaten more of the food than he should have, because between that and attempting to escape by trying to dig out… well it's made him a bit sick, and a bit insane. So in retrospect, I've become a bit sick. I can control my actions, but as I'm coping his form, well what ever hurts him, hurts me as well. I'm actually glad we're getting this over with now. I need a new person to copy. It's hard separating his emotion s from my own since I've been imitating him for so long. He understandably cries often, and is severally depressed. Almost as much as the Chang girl." Marietta's lover said. Marietta raised her eyebrow in curiosity.

"What do you mean almost as much as the Chang girl?"

"I mean she is depressed about a number of things. I felt some of them that night you had me mimic her so that I could read her thoughts. She was depressed about what Potter had called her, her mum, Cedric, and a something a friend of hers did… Oh! Did you want me to send the letter I wrote that night? Do you want her back here now?" Her lover explained.

"No… no not yet. First we have to take care of Dumbledore. If you send the letter, or rather if Uncle sends the letter and we've already failed, than it won't matter." Marietta said worried. Seamus gently rubbed her neck.

"You really are having doubts about our success aren't you?" He asked. Marietta nodded.

"He's the most powerful wizard in the world. Our chances of success have always been… well questionable. We just have to hope for the best, and hope my special training… and your snooping into his mind have been enough. I am scared, but we must not discus this any further." Marietta finished. She turned around and gave her lover a passionate kiss. "I promised you a night of passion, not planning." She said moments later when she finally pulled away from him. Seamus smiled.

"Very well, a night of passion. There are just two more things I have to say before we close the subject. First have any of the other society members had occlumency training other than yourself?" he asked. Marietta frowned again.

"No, only me. No one else has had the training." Marietta stated.

"That's bad. Dumbledore will be able to read all their thoughts when we confront him." Seamus said. "Make sure they are all at the meeting tomorrow. _All_ of them." Seamus said. Marietta nodded. "Also I'll need the invisibility cloak tomorrow. Can you get it to me?" he continued.

"It's in the green houses. Covering something up. I'll have to sneak in there in the morning, but I can get it. Why do you need it?" she asked curiously.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you later. Just have it, and don't let anyone in the society know about it." Seamus said.

"Danielle knows about it." Marietta exclaimed. "But no one else."

"Just make sure no one else finds out." Seamus intoned. Marietta nodded.

Marietta undressed down to her sexy undergarments, and Seamus undressed as well. Marietta used her wand to conger up a phonograph, and they had a slow dance to a romantic song.

Seamus began to nibble playfully on her ear, and she giggled. Soon business was for the moment forgotten, and Marietta and her lover removed the last of their clothes. She pushed him down on the bed, and straddled him. As he pressed up and down she rocked back and fourth. His hands reached up to her breast and he massages them. The lovers embrace throughout the night. Finally they climaxed together in a moment of intense ecstasy. Marietta still on top put her head on her lover's chest, her sweat mixing with his. She closed her eyes for a moment, and reflected on her life to this point.

_Everything… everything has been leading up to the approaching night. The day that the Society takes things over. The day that the Purebloods take back what is rightfully theirs. It has to go right! If I fail, than I'll be spending the rest of my life in Azkaban. All the half-bloods, and Mudbloods, and Blood Traitors have ruined our world. Now is the time to take it back. And if we have to make a deal with You-Know-Who, than we can do that. Our interest are not so different, and he probably only wants to be worshipped and made rich. So be it, a few statues here and there to placate his ego, while we at the society do all the work to insure the eviction of the mudbloods. But we should keep the half-blood's… we will need a race of second class citizens... so that we may always look down on them as they pass, and always know ourselves to be far superior. But to fail means an end to all we have worked for… an end to the society. I promised I would be ready, that my plan would work. I go up against the biggest blood traitor in the world, the most powerful wizard of all time. Will I be ready? _Marietta looked at her lover, who had his eyes closed, but was not quiet asleep. _Will you be ready? _ She thought. Marietta closed her eyes, and went to sleep, with nightmares of Dumbledore's victory against the Society in her head.


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter 61: Twenty to One Odds**

Throughout the day Marietta and her lover plotted their devious plan to rid the school of the blood traitor head master. Much was discussed about what the fraudulent Seamus had learned about Dumbledore through taking his form for several nights since the year began. He had been able to understand glimpses of his past. Spells and incantations that only he knew. Clearly Dumbledore was indeed the greatest wizard in the world. _But doesn't even he have a weakness?_ Marietta thought. _Surly even he must be able to be defeated in some way. _

Eventually during the conversation, her lover revealed such possible weaknesses to her. Ironically Marietta had planned on telling everyone every aspect of the plan, but listening to her lover map things out, it seemed the less that her circle of friends knew about what she was doing the better. How odd that victory depended on the ignorance of the people that she needed to rely on. She couldn't even tell Danielle, though she promised to make it up to her _if_ they were successful. After they had agreed on a plan her lover informed her that he had left out some information from even her, and that it was important that she trust him to waited and tell her why this was necessary until after the incident was complete.

Finally it was nine at night, and all of the members of the society were assembled in the Library, save a few newer members whose duty it was to watch for ghost, poltergeists, and other entities that might try to ease drop on their most private meeting. It wouldn't be convenient for her to ghost proof the library, not at this vital step of the plan. These members were posted out side the main doors, and in classrooms just above, bellow and to the side of the library, insuring that a full parameter was assured.

The other students, her lover, looking pale, and coughing from imitating Seamus and her Uncle Filch sat on either side of a long table that had been arranged from several smaller ones just before she arrived. Marietta walked in, clutching her light blue purse, with the item that the professor had given Filch from the weekend before. Now was going to be her chance to see if the item inside would work properly or not, if they even made it that far. She took her place at the head of the table but did not sit as she surveyed her fellow conspirators, all of them intently looking at her with nervous excitement, and also much fear in anticipation of what exactly would come next. Her best friend Danielle from Ravenclaw who had been allowed to know more than anyone else in the group save her lover. Her friend Lori, of Griffendore who had been one of her most adamant supporters since the Society came back to Hogwarts, and who had been willing to spend detention with a mudblood teacher to further the cause. Pansy Parkinson who had even broken up with Draco Malfoy because it was feared that he was being watched to closely by the Ministry, and Dumbledore himself_. A pity, he would have been a valuable asset to us otherwise. Well perhaps he may be someday still. But I guess that all depends on tonight. _Marietta thought to herself. There were many other students, about twenty in all. Almost the entire society in Hogwarts_. But would it be enough?_ Everyone had pledged to uphold the principals of the society; everyone had pledged to do everything it took to bring the purebloods back to power. Marietta gave a great sigh just before she spoke.

"Each of you… has pledged to do anything asked of you in order to promote the success of the society. Tonight… the time to prove the measure of your resolve. Tonight is the most important night of your life. Tonight you risk everything to change our world forever. No mater how long you live, no day will compare to this day. Not your wedding day, will the day your fist child is borne… nothing you ever do come close. But you will be remembered for generations at this school. Remembered as hero's who stopped the blood traitors. Hero's who saved our worlds from the mud races who befoul it_. Today you are history._" Marietta stated in a passionate tone. She paused momentarily observing the effect that it was having on everyone. Danielle and Lori looked particularly proud at the idea of being held up as heroes. Other students like Brian Walsh of Huffelpuff seemed to be contemplating what was coming next, what would be expected of them. Brian Walsh had confirmed through his unwitting uncle, who worked at the Ministry that Potter was to be transported, and that the person from the newspaper had arrived ready to post of his "relapse" into insanity, a valuable piece of evidence that had allowed Marietta time to consider options. Although having Potter out of the way, allowing her to focus on Dumbledore without interference, Marietta was still not finished with him just yet. There was still a new teaching position to open up, and Potter would play a big part in doing so.

"Tonight Mr. Filch has convinced the Head Master that a group of concerned students wishes to meet with him at nine thirty raising concern over Mr. Potter and our displeasure at keeping him here when he is accused of killing that poor Padma Patel. In reality we are going to be attempting to restrain the Headmaster and confine him to his quarters in a manner that will render him helpless…" Marietta stopped talking when she noticed Devin Smith raised his hand franticly in the air. "Yes Devin, what's your concern?" Devin looked nervous, and was hesitant to answer, but finally spoke.

"Well Dumbledore can read minds, I mean I've been called into his office before for something I did, and he… he seemed to know everything, like he had some type of training to do it. I know there is a name for the magic, but I haven't had the class. But anyway he would have been able to read Mr. Fiche's mind, and would know what we are up to." Devin put in. Marietta smiled.

"Devin, until just now, you didn't know what we were up to. Unc… err… Mr. Filch has had limited knowledge about this operation from the start in order to protect his position here. However you are right. The Headmaster is well trained in the art of Occlumency and has used it against pureblood students for as long as he has been at Hogwarts. That is why I had to memory charm Mr. Filch… with his consent, to believe that the reason was our concern over Mr. Potter. When we get into the Head Masters office, we will spread out, and demand his wand. Of cores he will refuse, so we must use any means to take him by force. Any means shot of an unforgiveable curse that is."

"That's madness!" cried Oliver Skint, a Slytherin boy in Marietta's year. "We won't last ten minutes against him. Dumbledore may be the wizarding world's biggest traitor, but he's also the greatest wizard of all time. Even You-Know-Who's Death Eaters couldn't stop him. What chance do we have? We're just a bunch of kids." Marietta giggled a bit.

"Devin, you and I, and several other people in this room are seventeen… grown adults now. And we are children of the Society. It's our destiny to win. Also Dumbledore is very old now. Together we can beat him. It may take a while, but we can do it. We just have to keep at him. Also we need to pretend to be focused on being concerned about Potter killing Padma Patel, and the continued danger that he posses to Purebloods, so Dumbledore finds it hard to read our thoughts right away." Marietta warned. Lori Sanchez gave a nervous chuckle.

"Ha, who needs to pretend? After what he did to poor Padma I'm afraid too." Her family's leaving tomorrow morning, and going to the Ministry to complain about Dumbledore trying to keep this quiet." Lori finished. Marietta nodded.

"Yes, that was a tragedy. and you can see how vital it is that we don't fail, what with the Head Master coddling him so, and favoring every non pureblood. Not to mention that fact that he loads us down with every kind of freak show in the world and expects us to learn anything from them. Mudblood teachers. A half giant, and a half man-half horse. When, when I ask you has he last hired a pureblood teacher? Ian Lewis raised his hand and spoke.

"Well he… hired Professor Quirall in our second year." He said softly. Marietta rolled her eyes. Yes, but can you think of anyone else that he hired? Marietta asked hoping to put the subject to rest.

"Um, he hired Professor Lockhart in our third year didn't he." Ian said. Marietta balled her hands up in fist and gave Ian a hateful look before she spoke again.

"Ian Lewis, who's side are you on anyway?" Marietta said through gritted teeth. Ian had a hurt look in his eyes.

"I… I'm on our side, I've taken the oath. But you… you asked us when he hired Pureblood teachers." He said more subdued. Marietta put her face in her hands in frustration for a moment.

"It was a rhetorical question, and the point is not when he last hired a pureblood, but that he hires too many freaks of nature. Those positions should be held by purebloods! He is trying to rob us of our positions. We have to put a stop to this once and for all. Tonight we go into his office and put him out of action until he realizes that he's been betraying his own race, and agrees to change his ways. Everyone think of the jinxes you need to use now, preferably the ones your best at, but incase they fail you need to be ready to use others. Remember to spread out when you enter the room and once close, concentrate on the reason that Mr. Filch said we'd come there, to complain about Potter." Marietta said in the most serious tone. She looked over at her fellow Society members, many of them seemed to be reflecting on what jinxes and curses they had mastered the most, but almost all seemed determined. "Now, we leave in twenty minutes, that's enough time to decide on your opening spells, but remember when you get to the stone gargoyle concentrate on complaining about Potter to mask your thoughts. Are there any final questions?" Marietta Finished. Devin raised his hand and spoke when Marietta called on him.

"What… what are we going to do with Dumbledore if and when we capture him? I mean, we can't pose as the Head Master effectively without the other Masters realizing something's up when we don't know his mind, and the things that he speaks to the other masters about. He's bound to answer them in a specific way, about personal things. Not only that, but his administrative job requires more knowledge than what we have. No amount of Polly-juice potion will allow us access to his mind, and I have my doubts to what memory charms on him can accomplish. To add, since securities too tight right now to slip an adult society member of our society into Hogwarts in good time, someone's bound to notice him missing eventually." Marietta gave a great sigh.

"I wish that you would all have a bit more confidence in my ability to plan for these things. I have already taken these things into consideration, and have prepared for such contingencies. You all just need to trust me." Marietta said sourly.

"We're just concerned Marietta. I mean, were risking spending a long time in Azkaban, and we don't even know what the extent of your plan is. Perhaps if you could let us in on more of it, we need to know that you also trust us to do our job." Lori Sanchez put in gloomily. Marietta turned to her.

"Look, it's not that I don't trust all of you, but… I've got important reasons for keeping you in the dark. Trust me I really do want to tell each of you my plan, but I cannot… at least not right now. If… I mean when we succeed… I'll tell each of you everything I can in great detail, but first this has to happen. If we fail it won't even matter. So just be ready with your spells, and remember, when you get close to the office keep your foremost thoughts on complaining about Potter. When I give the order, everyone attacks at once." Marietta finished. She sat down quietly closing her eyes, and thinking about the many private training sessions with Professor Watson, about everything that he had taught her, and everything she had learned studying on her own. She also thought about her possible futures, the good and the bad. It was a deep reflection that sent chills up her spine, and she knew that there was no backing out now. After twenty minutes had passed she told the rest of the students to start up to the Head Masters office, stopping Danielle to wish her good luck personally, and giving her the password to the stone gargoyle provided by her Uncle. "I'll be along shortly." She said quietly as she ushered Danielle out the door. Marietta turned to her lover once again, with a tear in her eye. "Oliver Skint is right you know love… all of us together won't last ten minutes against him." Seamus nodded his understanding of her concern, but then gave a smiled pulling his invisibility cloak from his robes.

"They should last just about ten minutes against him all together, and we only need about five minutes to distract him. I'll take care of him, just try and stay in the action long enough for me to enter the fight." Her lover told her confidently.

"Are… are you really going to fight him as Seamus Finnegan? You're so pale, and your coughing a bit, how can you win?" Marietta said in a worried tone. Seamus moved to her and kissed her forehead.

"I told you I cannot tell you why I have to fight as Seamus, or how I can defeat him. Now you have to trust me without knowing. Don't worry though, and keep him busy. But remember, you must not let him know that I'm in the room as Seamus Finnegan by thinking in your mind about me." He said in an authoritive tone. Marietta gave a nervous chuckle.

"Ha, don't worry about that love, I've had occlumency lessons, he cannot read my thoughts."

"Good, than I'll just throw the cloak on, and you lead the way, and don't for get to give me a minute to get in the office before you close the door." He said. Marietta nodded, and once her lover was no longer visible to her behind the cloak she started to the Head Masters office.

Marietta moved passed the stone gargoyle, and into the entrance to the head masters office. No one was waiting outside so she moved to open the double wooden doors to the office. Once she reached them the doors swung open seemingly on their own. Marietta viewed the considerably large expanse of Dumbledore's layer. The architecture was beautiful, and paintings of the Head Masters from Hogwarts past lined the walls. The society members were standing in front of Dumbledore's desk as spread out as they could be, seeming to be concentrating on a collective, specific thought, and her dear Uncle Filch stood behind the Dumbledore with a concerned look on his face. Dumbledore waved her into the room and she walked in slowly holding the door open for her unseen lover to enter behind her. When she had thought she had given him enough time she moved more quickly to the left of the group assembled in from of her nemesis. Dumbledore nodded a greeting to her without speaking, and he curtsied to him. Finally the head master spoke as the doors shut behind Marietta with a soft thud.

"Miss Edgecombe, your Uncle, Mr. Filch says that you and your friends have come here to see me about your concerns for student safety, what with Mr. Potter accused of such a horrible crime." Dumbledore said softly. Gasp arose from Marietta's friends at the revelation of Filch being her Uncle, and she closed her eyes for a moment in embarrassment. "However, they refused to say anything until you arrived, and have all been trying hard, if unsuccessfully to think that it was the only reason they are here. Of coarse, now that you're here they can give it up, and we can discuss the real reason all of you showed up in my office tonight. Marietta smiled at the Head Master in admiration of his skill.

"And… how long have you known this Head Master?" she asked politely. _No use in hiding it now, though there is always time for formalities. _She thought.

"When Mr. Filch came in here today he truly believed that it was the reason that you all wanted to see me, and so then did I. But when everyone came in, I recognized many of you from the Hogsmead rally, on the wrong side of the barricades, and decided to see what was really on your minds. It wasn't too hard, your friends seem to be mostly shallow of heart, I'm sad to say. So let us not waste time in trying to deny the obvious. Marietta nodded and slowly brought up her wand to her shoulder, careful not to make a sudden move. He also raised his wand ready to block an attack.

"Fair enough, but I would like a little more privacy if I'm to be so… open." Marietta said turning and waving her wand to the back wall pointing it to the nearest picture of one of the Head Masters. "_**Gelo Abdo!**_" She shouted causing Dumbledore to rise up and take a defensive stance, but the magical charge that let out from Marietta's wand was in the opposite direction. Marietta covered the wall with the magic charm freezing each of the paintings in suspended animation. She then turned her wand quickly to the other walls with the same result. Before she reached the last wall Dumbledore shouted an airburst charm at her, but it was blocked by an unseen magic user from behind. Dumbledore quickly turned to see who had blocked him, but saw nothing but Marietta's final freezing beam hit the last of the paintings. The entire incident had taken seven seconds. Dumbledore turned to confront Marietta again. She gave him another smile. "There, now that we don't have to worry about people listening on our conversation, we can all relax a bit." Marietta said happily, though she was sure she could feel Dumbledore trying to enter her mind and know that she was somewhat nervous. He looked around at the frozen paintings., and then back to the witch who had cast the spell.

"Well done Miss Edgecombe, well done. Actually I do think I owe you an apology. I had no idea that you were so gifted a student. I should have kept up with you more closely. Surely you couldn't have learned such a charm under a year with helping Miss Umbridge. You must have had a teacher of the Dark Arts who is quite skilled." Dumbledore said in monotone.

"Indeed, a certain student of yours that you banned from the country, or at least helped to get banned. He sends his regards, and looks forward to walking back in here soon enough. Now there is the matter of you turning over your wand to us, and apologizing for your treason against your race." Marietta said mockingly. Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

"Miss Edgecombe… don't do this. You don't want to be a part of that terrible society. You can still stop what your about to do. There are two Ministry officials here in Hogwarts, and if you tell them what the Society and Professor Watson ordered you to do, you can all stay here as students, and rest assured that you will have helped stop an evil man. I don't want to have to expel any of you, or send any of the seventeen's to Azkaban. This must not happen; I don't mean any boast when I say that you cannot defeat me, just a warning, and a promise that to attack me will result in expulsion or worse. Please don't try it." Dumbledore's tone was pleading, but not in a cowardly fashion.

"How nice of you to care for our well being, but you don't really. You're a blood traitor, and you underestimate us. **Draw wands**." Marietta intoned, and her warriors drew their weapons out of their robes, except for Ian Lewis. Marietta gave him a scowl. "You too Lewis, remember… your oath." Lewis looked at her afraid, but drew his wand as well, having is shake in his trembling hand.

"Students, don't listen to her. None of you have done anything so far that you can't take back so far." Dumbledore pleaded again.

"They won't listen to you Blood Traitor; they've been waiting a long time for this day. **Attack!" **Marietta screamed, throwing herself to the ground as a jinx from Dumbledore barely missed her head. Several jinxes shot out at the Head Master at once, as Dumbledore dodged quickly to miss a few, and used a shield charm to keep off others. Marietta couldn't help but notice that he was very agile for such an old man. Dumbledore shouted a quick incantation at Lori Sanchez that pinned her arms and legs to the wall. More jinxes and cursed came Dumbledore's way, and he easily blocked them with little effort. Another wide wave of his wand and several of Marietta's friends were thrown against the wall in a heap from the most powerful airburst charm she had ever seen used. More jinxes sent his way, and easily blocked, but now the curses were coming so fast and constant that Dumbledore seemed to be having trouble, for he was shouting so many shield charms that was almost unable to find time to say counter curses… almost. Finally Danielle seemed to have him bested as her wand disabling curse hit the Head Masters wand at the very tip, and she held the blue beam steady for about twenty seconds. Tragically for Danielle Dumbledore's wand did not disable. But instead he raised it with great effort, and two hands and pointed it at Danielle's wand. Suddenly a yellow beam emitted from his wand to hers and disappeared. Danielle began shaking the wand violently and shouting several jinxes to no avail. Dumbledore not turned his attention to Ian Lewis who was so nervous that he shouted a cheering charm at that head master which he unnecessarily ducked, and hit Ian with a crippling curse that had him collapsing on the floor shouting that he couldn't feel his legs, as his wand rolled under the Head Master's desk. Dumbledore spun around three hundred sixty degrees to avoid more burst. Not all of his counter jinxes hit their mark, and Marietta was glad that she had had her friends spread out to avoid being picked off in large groups. She herself had not yet shouted a jinx, but now pointed her wand at Dumbledore who was busy blocking some curse from the few students who were left in the fight.**"Vomitis!" **Marietta shouted angrily, and thought that she had Dumbledore dead to rights, but a quick turn of his wand sent the beam over to Devin Smith, who began vomiting on the floor, his face a bright shade of green. As more of her companions fell Marietta looked around for her lover. He had not seemed to fire a single jinx after the shield charm that allowed her to zap the last of the paintings. _Was he hit by one of us by accident, did her run away? No he couldn't have. Where are you Love? _She thought to herself. When she looked back at Dumbledore, he was gasping for air exhausted at the five minute magic brawl, but still at the ready. There were only three society members up, Oliver Skint who was standing ready with his a cut on his mouth dripping blood, Danielle Forester, who had picked up Ian's wand from under the desk, and herself. Dumbledore turned to her, he had not a scratch.

"It's enough Miss Edgecombe… gasp… its over." Dumbledore said, sweating profusely, red faced, and breathing heavily. Clearly it was beginning to look that way. Marietta's minions were sprawled out on the floor, and it seemed that three members could not do what twenty before could not do. And she knew that Despite Dumbledore's fatigued condition, he was still a force to be reckoned with.

"It's come too far to be over. It can't end like this Blood Traitor!" Marietta said upset. **"Love, love, where are you??!!" **Marietta cried for help. Suddenly she felt Dumbledore picking through her mind. She used her training in occlumency to fend him off, and for a few minutes she was successful, but he was too great a wizard to be kept out for long, and he began reading her thoughts despite her beast efforts. Dumbledore than seemed to have a concerned expression in his eyes. He put the wand up to the back of his head and shouted an incantation.

"Bonus optimolicus!" Dumbledore yelled and two blue eyes formed on the back of his head, allowing him to watch the remaining society members, and also look around the room. "Come out Mr. Finnegan, come out from under your invisibility cloak, it's over for you as well." Dumbledore said, his new eyes scanning the room for any sign of Marietta's unseen lover, while his ordinary eyes watched Danielle who seemed to be deciding or a curse to use. Silence fell in the room, and Marietta was sure it was over. But suddenly a brilliant yellow flash shout across the room from a wand that appeared to hand in thin air. Dumbledore reacted quickly seeing it with the eyes in the back of his head, and produced a shield charm to block it. He was sent flying into the wall screaming; just missing the still stuck Lori Sanchez. At the same instant another scream was heard and something slamed against the other wall. Danielle and Skint both backed against another wall not really sure what had happened. Seconds later Dumbledore used his desk to pull himself up off the floor. He looked at Marietta curiously for an instant, and then scanned the room again. The suspended wand had disappeared. Dumbledore seemed to be trying to concentrate on something with his mind, and for the first time he looked afraid. Soon Marietta could feel him probing her mind again, she tried to block him, but he was much more intent now, and broke through more quickly.

"**Come out Mr. Finnegan. It's over, do you hear? It's finished."** Dumbledore shouted enraged, and scanning the area with all four eyes swiveling about to see the suspended wand of Marietta's unseen lover. Suddenly he spotted the wand and in an instant shouted a powerful jinx out in a magical yellow beam. At the same time another beam emitted from the suspended wand, and the two beams met in mid air causing a loud bang like thunder cracking. The beams did not go out and Dumbledore strained with both hands on his wand to hold it steady. It looked painful for him. Marietta and her two remaining friends stood in awe at the event, as the Head Master wrestled with the unseen force. He strained even harder to keep from being pushed back from the beam.

"**Err… this isn't Seamus Finnegan! Who is this?"** He demanded. Suddenly the magical spell broke. And his blast damaged a column near the archway to his sleeping quarters. He was greeted with a sinister laugh that had it not sounded so malicious might have been his own. Suddenly he was addressed by a deeper version of his own voice.

"You want to know who this is Dumbledore?" the voice asked. Suddenly the invisibility cloak fell to the floor, and a naked version of himself stood before him with a wand at the ready. "It's you. You've been probing into the wrong minds… first your enemies You-Know-Who, and then Marietta's. You wanted to see who was behind the cloak, so you used Legimacy on her, and saw who she thought was behind the cloak, poor Seamus Finnegan. But you should have looked into your own mind. Now your just fighting with your self." The fraudulent Dumbledore chuckled. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.

"Voldermort. I didn't think that you would need to resort to Polly juice potion or use children as Death Eaters to combat me. But now that you're here, we'll finish this once and for all." Dumbledore said raising his wand. The imposter shook his head.

"You still don't get it do you. I'm not Voldermort. _I'm you! _Professor Watson hired me to become you to take over the school. It's time to get his enemies out, and you're the primary threat to that plan. I've taken your form, yes… but I've taken more than that. I've taken your power, your skill, your knowledge, and your experience. No this is more than a dark wizard using Polly juice potion Dumbledore. But if you feel you're ready for me, I'll give you a free shot. The false Dumbledore turned to Marietta. "You and your friends be ready to take him when he's down, but don't be to ruff, just use the special binding charms that that professor taught you." He said. Marietta nodded and readied her wand. The naked Dumbledore looked back at the real one and spread his arms away from his body smiling. Now Dumbledore, I'm only giving you this one chance, lets see what you can do." He said. Dumbledore pointed his wand at the villain, but hesitated for an instant, seeming perplexed.

"I don't know who you are, but Voldermort or not, I'm going to stop you and Professor Watson. Dumbledore blasted a whirling diverse charm at the enemy, which was intended to cause him to twirl around at excessive speeds for a few seconds until dizzy and nauseous. His spell hit home and worked well, but in turn, the real Dumbledore himself spun violently around for the same length of time. When they had both stopped they staggered around a bit trying to get their footing.

"**Now!" The imposter shouted to Marietta and her cohorts. "Get him now!" **Danielle was first to respond, but forgetting about the confinement spell that she had been taught shouted a jinx that caused a magical glowing whip to emit from her wand and slashed the dazed Dumbledore across the back with it. This caused a tear in his robes', and both the real Dumbledore and the false one to scream in agony. The societies Dumbledore shot Danielle look. "Stop that, you stupid girl! Bind him, bind him. Danielle with a look of panic in her voice nodded and she, Marietta, and Oliver Skint simultaneously blasted the real Dumbledore with magical ropes of a far different variety than students were taught to use at Hogwarts. Oliver Skint cautiously approached the Head Master and relieved him of his wand, then at his bound body up in a chair. Dumbledore for his part sat silently for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He struggled lightly to free himself, but to no effect. Marietta went over to her lover to examine the bloody slash on his back.

"Are you ok love? What… what happened?" she asked with deep concern. Her lover looked at her with a painful expression on his face.

"I'm an exact copy of Dumbledore. My pain is his pain. While I take his form, if he gets hurt, then so do I, and vice versa. Your friend's whip hurt me too. But I'll be ok soon enough." The False Dumbledore said in an exhausted tone. Dumbledore wasn't the only one fatigued from the battle. Marietta walked over to the real Dumbledore still tied up in the chair and grabbed his jaw, raising his head up until his eyes were level to hers.

"Look at me… do you know… how many decades of planning went into this? How many months of intense training went into training me for this moment? The Professors time in Europe was not wasted, he worked very hard or studying the dark arts, gathering any dark wizard that he could find to help him come out with spells to stop you. Oh he underestimated you when he went here, and promised never to be so foolish again. You're a powerful man, but we found your match in yourself. Part of me wants to kill you right now, oh how I would love that. But keeping you alive also has distinct advantages. Not only will we be able to use your image to keep the head masters at bay, but we will be able to have the run of the school until… more help arrives. I think also, your going to have a few new additions to the staff. You see, this is a dangerous place, and I foresee some Professors meeting with… tragic accidents. And don't you get any cute ideas about mentally sending for help. You see, we really have prepared for everything." She turned to her lover. "Can you start curing everyone of their jinxes and curses love?" Her lover sat out to start fixing everyone's aliments, probing Dumbledore's mind to do so. First he popped Lori Sanchez off the wall with a reverse spell, then proceeded to cure Pansy Parkinson of a jinx that had her spitting out slugs from her mouth. After fixing a few of them he turned to Marietta.

"I can't cure them all." He said calmly.

"What? They are his spells, just read his mind to un-jinx them." Marietta said perplexed. Her lover shook his head.

"Dumbledore is a former Aurora, not a healer. He doesn't know everything. If he did there would not be a need for Madam Pomfree to be here would there. She has more knowledge to cure jinxes and curses than him. Even the greatest wizard doesn't know everything, and curing ills is a very specific field. The society members I've cured will have to take the rest to the hospital wing." He said. Marietta's jaw dropped.

"How am I going to explain that to Madam Pomfree, a bunch of us come in all battle damaged?" Marietta asked. Her lover shook his head.

"I don't know, but you should try to think of something. I've got to form into Seamus Finnegan again. You need to give Dumbledore his medicine, he's thinking about warning members of the staff right now, just trying to regain enough strength to use the magic. Her lover melted to a clear blob on the floor right in front of a shocked and recovering Lori Sanchez, and reformed into Seamus Finnegan. Marietta walked over to her discarded purse and brought it back over to Dumbledore. She began rolling up the sleeve of his robe.

"You… are a lot of trouble Head Master. You couldn't make it easy on me could you? Well, I'm not going to make it easy on you either." Once she had rolled up his sleeve under the tight ropes past his forearm she reached into her purse and pulled out a medieval looking syringe, and a bottle of liquid. Marietta slowly dipped the syringe In the bottle, and withdrew some of the liquid into the syringe. Pulling out the needle she help it up by her face, squeezing out some so as not to have any air bubbles enter Dumbledore's veins. Dumbledore started to struggle in the ropes, and even said some wand less charms to cause them to fall off of him, but these were not the ropes that he had encountered before. Marietta waved a disapproving finger at him with her free hand.

"No, no, no. It would be ashamed to have to kill you… yet." She grabbed his bound arm to steady it, and plunged the needle into a vein, shooting the contents into his system. Once it was all in she removed the needle and through it back in a rubbish bin near the desk. Dumbledore's eyes began to dilate. Marietta smiled to herself. "There you go. Now I don't have to worry about you inviting any unwanted visitors. You know Dumbledore, I have to admit, I really had my doubts about defeating you, I really did. And once I saw that Danielle, Oliver and I were all that was left… well I thought for sure that there was a cell in Azkaban with our names on it. Funny how sometimes things just work out isn't it. We're going to take over your school now, and we're going to get rid of filth that you let in here. You think about that." Marietta finished, patting a numb Dumbledore on the head before leaving to help Lori get Devin Smith up, and out the door to Madam Pomfree. Her lover would stay behind to hide the Head Master, and eventually take his place. As they walked down the corridor Marietta noticed Lori looking at her with wide eyes.

"What?" Marietta asked. Lori was hesitant, but to curious not to ask.

"Marietta, what was that thing in there?" she asked. Marietta Smiled.

"Why, that's the new Head Master. Things are going to change in this school Lori, oh how they are going to change!"


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter 62: The Reflecting of Harry Potter**

The room was of an elegant design, with marble columns that rose splendidly to the high ceiling that was painted to reveal a grassy Scottish landscape. The furniture was glossy wand crafted oak, and an enchanting crystal chandelier hovered above the room, emitting light from the very crystals themselves. You would not know, by the look of it that it was now a holding cell awaiting to take someone to a less appealing dungeon cell in the Ministry of Magic, but as a teary eyed Harry Potter lay on the four post bed, the beauty of the room was lost on him. Three days he had to endure the room, cut off from any news, friends, and Professors. To add Mr. Walsh had thought it wise for him to turn over his wand in order to keep the other students safe. He apparently was no longer thought of well in the Ministry, and his popularity was probably fading among his fellow students as well. Hermione and Ron hadn't been to see him, and he had found that it was again the idea of Mr. Walsh who preferred to keep others away from him, again for their own protection. Harry pondered his fate, which now seemed to be that of last years, with him the feared dangerous mental case that the Ministry and the Daily Profit had made him out to be. _How did this happen? I was so determined that things would be different this year. It started off so promising, the paper vindicating me, the Ministry assuring everyone that I did indeed fight against Voldermort and his Death Eaters, and now… I'm about to share a cell next to them. And won't Luscious Malfoy enjoy that, The Harry Potter rotting away next to him in Azkaban. Bloody lovely that is. Where did it all go wrong. My stupid tantrum on the train, my fault admittedly. The Yule ball fiasco, not my fault, but not such a bizarre circumstance. But then there was the Quidditch game and threatening Miller and Padma, and… killing her. Now what will I do? I didn't even tell Ron or Hermione, what was I to say? All my nightmares are coming true, and I just had one that I killed Padma. Dumbledore said that the walls had memories and they showed me killing her. What if I did? What if Voldermort has me under the imperious curse? My occlumency lessons were a disaster, what if he's able to control me even in the castle. Is any student safe from me? So much missing time, so much… I don't understand. Why don't I have clear memories of that day? Filch… every time I had one of those days I went to his office… I went to his office for infractions that I barely remember, everything was hazy. Did he have something to do with it? Marietta also seems to play a part in it, but then what part, is she working for Voldermort? All this time I kept suspecting poor Cho of working against me, but what about others… Pansy Parkinson delivered the letter to Snape that day. He has to have something to do with it. Bastard, he's had it in for me from the start. Maybe I've been wrong about Draco, maybe Snape is the real Dark Wizard behind all this time? Leading Marietta, and Pansy, and who knows who else. I'll have to tell Dumbledore everything… Dumbledore! Can he ever forgive me? I've been a prat for two years now, and been very hateful to him… to a lot of people. Especially the ones who have tried to help me the most, Dumbledore… Cho. I'm going to tell Dumbledore everything. No more holding back. I just hope he'll forgive me. _Harry's reflecting was interrupted by a knock on his door. He looked up.

"Come in." He said weakly. The door opened and Mr. Walsh walked in, with Dumbledore who flinched in seeming pain as the light from the chandelier met his eyes. Dumbledore stopped for a minute and seemed to concentrate, very hard, as Mr. Walsh looked at him puzzled. Finally Dumbledore lifted his wand and said a dimming incantation, which lowered the brightness of the light. Mr. Walsh motioned Harry to take a seat on the edge of his bed, and the two men pulled up oak chairs close to Harry. As Harry looked at Dumbledore he almost fell over. The Head Masters eyes were so dilated that they gave the appearance of shark eyes, and yet he was wearing a smile on his face, very odd considering that the circumstances that they found themselves under these days. The Head Master reached over and patted Harry on the shoulder.

"Well now Mr. Potter I know that it must have been hard on you these last few days, but Mr. Walsh and I have some good news for you. It seems that we will not be sending you to the Ministry… at least not yet. You see I've convinced the officials, including the Prime Minister that you can remain here at least until Christmas Holliday's are over. Isn't that right Mr. Walsh?" Dumbledore said smiling at Mr. Walsh gingerly, and giving him a shark eyed grin. Mr. Walsh did not return the smile, but had a rather stuffy look on his face.

"I suppose it is Head Master." He said bitterly. "Though again I would like to express my unhappiness with the Ministry's decision. I haven't made up my mind about Potter, yet, but I think it would be a safe precaution to keep him away from other students." Mr. Walsh said curtly. Dumbledore gave him a chuckle.

"Now, now Mr. Walsh… you can't really believe that he is a danger, after the Ministry itself has agreed to allow him to attend here a bit longer." Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Your not a danger to others are you Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore questioned him.

"No sir, I… **Mr. Potter?"** Harry asked surprised at being addressed so formally by Dumbledore.

"Why yes, that's your name isn't it?" Dumbledore chuckled. Harry guessed that he was being so formal because of Mr. Walsh's sake, and let it go.

"Yes sir that is good news. Does that mean that I will get my wand back?" Harry asked, remembering the day that the Ministry officials arrived that Mr. Walsh said that it would be safer for the other students if Harry didn't have such a volatile weapon at his command. Mr. Walsh scoffed.

"I should say not Mr. Potter, considering the circumstances. Dumbledore must have a large amount of pull in the Ministry to keep you here, but I can assure you that I don't share their assessment of the situation. I'm only thinking about the safety of the other students here.

"How am I supposed to learn without books, just read about the spells, and charms? That would do bloody well. That's what Umbridge tried to do last year. It was bullocks then, and it's bullocks now." Harry said angrily. Dumbledore patted him on the back, and smiled a toothy grin that made him look even more like a shark when combined with his black eyes.

"Now, now Mr. Potter, Mr. Walsh is just concerned, and you'll be getting your wand back after we've cleared everything with the Ministry. In the meantime at least you get to go back with your classmates. You can leave this room tomorrow for breakfast." Dumbledore finished happily.

"With an escort!" Mr. Walsh pronounced. Harry turned to him confused.

"An escort?" Harry asked quizzically. Mr. Walsh adjusted his bowler.

"Yes Mr. Potter… an escort. I will have to go back to London and clear all this mess up, meanwhile Mr. Primfold and Mr. Filch will be going from class to class with you to assure the safety of your classmates." Mr. Primfold stated.

"_**Filch!**_ Not him, he's a wanker!" Harry said with slightly controlled rage. Mr. Walsh had an offended look on his face; he glanced over at Dumbledore menacingly.

"My word Head Master, is that the type of language that you teach your students?" Mr. Walsh asked. Dumbledore shook his head.

"Certainly not, Mr. Potter, that will be one hundred points from Griffendore, and apologize to Mr. Walsh. What you said was wrong." Harry's mouth dropped. _One hundred points?!!! _He thought, but said nothing, but that he was sorry. Mr. Walsh nodded the acceptance, and started to leave, with Dumbledore bidding Harry goodbye with another shark eyed smile. Harry stood up from his bed quickly.

"Dumbledore sir, could I please have a word with you… in private." Harry asked pleadingly. Dumbledore nodded and bid Mr. Walsh goodnight, and returned to his previous seat.

"What can I do for you Mr. Potter?" He asked pleasantly. Harry looked at him hurt.

"Mr. Potter, are we no longer on a first name basis?" Harry asked. Dumbledore seemed surprised at the statement.

"_Are_ we on a first name basis?" He asked. _Well I can't blame him for wondering, I haven't really been to accommodating. _Harry thought as hestood there looking at his Head Master for a moment before speaking, and then when he formulated what he wanted to say, lowered his head in embarrassment.

"I guess I deserve that, I just wanted to say sir that… I'm sorry. About everything. About not… telling you everything right after each event happened, about being so rude in the past. I… I know I've been a git, but I promise you that I'm going to change. I've been to angry about the funeral, and being kept in the dark both summers, you can't imagine what it feels like to be so cut off, and maybe that's what I was trying to do to you I guess… cut you off. Well, I just want you to know that I'm not going to do that anymore, from now on, I'm going to let you know everything that happens, and I'm very sorry about everything. I'd like for things to be like they were before. Harry finished with a deep sigh. Dumbledore seemed to take it all in stride.

"Oh, that's ok Mr. Pot… err Harry. I'm sure that you didn't mean it. We'll go back to the way things were before, first name basis." Dumbledore assured. Harry smiled.

"Thank you sir. Thank you very much. I wanted to tell you that… I think that Mr. Filch is in on everything." Harry said in a serious tone. Dumbledore looked around the room, and when it looked like he was sure that he and Harry were alone leaned towards Harry.

"In on what?" Dumbledore whispered.

"Well trying to frame me. I mean… every time something happened that I was accused of doing something. I went to his office, _**his ghost proof office!"**_ Harry exclaimed. Harry explained his new theory to Dumbledore, commenting on the reflecting that he had been doing in his solitude over the last few days. Dumbledore listened intently, and once Harry had finished he told him that he would certainly keep an eye on Filch.

"But then, you can do that too, considering that you're going to be seeing him a lot from now on." Dumbledore added. "And if you need me, Ill be in my office, just make an appointment. Now if you'll excuse me I have to attend to some business with Mr. Walsh." Dumbledore finished.

"Professor! Will you go see if there's anything in Filch's office? Remember I told you about what sir Nicola's said. That he and his twin brother took something in a crate in there?" Harry asked. A chill seemed to run up Dumbledore's spine as Harry mentioned the crate. He turned back to him.

"Err… yes, I'll look into it." He said quietly. Anything else?" Harry nodded.

"Well… yes, I've been stuck here for three days, can Ron and Hermione come and visit me today." Harry asked. Dumbledore seemed to consider it for a moment, but due to being transfixed by his shark eyes. Finally he spoke.

"Very well Mr. Potter, I'll allow them to come down for a couple of hours. Now have you anything else that you are concerned about?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes sir, just two more. When I go to your office, what candy will you name the new password after?"

"Um, I… hummm. Oh, I don't know how about Betty Botts Every flavored beans." He said. Harry's mouth dropped open. _He hates those, why would he… _

"Also what happened to your eyes?" Harry asked concerned. Dumbledore blinked.

"Oh, just a spell that I mixed up, nothing to be concerned about."

Dumbledore got up and said his goodbye to Harry then left the room. In the time that Harry had before Hermione and Ron arrived Harry had more time to reflect on the past, on his loneliness, loneliness, especially for a girl that he missed more than anything, one that he had falsely accused of spying on him, and betraying him. He needed to see her again, needed to be comforted by her, to cry in her arms. _How will I explain everything to her? Will she forgive me, and will she confide in me? I have to see her over the Christmas holidays, but I'm not even sure where she lives. Motherwell… should be easy enough. How many Changs could there be in Motherwell, or all of Scotland for that matter. I'm going to see her no matter what. But I have to let her know that I'm coming, have to write her a letter. _Harry scoured the room looking for a quill and parchment, wishing that he still had his wand to conger the items out of then air, but he didn't. Eventually he found the items and sat them aside on an oak desk. He would write the letter to Cho Chang, but first he needed to find out from Ron and Hermione his status in the Wizarding world. A few minutes later they arrived. Harry rushed up to hug the two of them almost knocking them over.

"Oh my god I've missed you two, you've no idea what it's like being stuck alone fore three bloody days like this." Harry commented as he threatened to squeeze his to friends to death unintentionally. As soon as they were able to pry away from Harry's death grip, they both took in the vast expanse of the room. Ron's mouth dropped open.

"Gore! Look at this place, right fancy room you've got 'arry. Wish I could have my own place like this." Ron beamed. Hermione slapped him on the head, and gave him a scalding look. "Ow, what was that for?"

"Don't be a git Ron, Harry is in here for punishment, it's a holding cell until he goes to the Ministry, not some luxury suit at the Four Seasons." She turned to Harry. "How are you Harry?" Hermione continued.

"Starved for information. What are people saying about me?" He asked. Hermione frowned. "Well, it's complicated. People aren't sure what to think. I think your status as _The Harry Potter_ has dissolved, I wouldn't be expecting any autographs for a while." Hermione said sadly. Harry nodded.

"Yea, I kind of expected that, and to be honest… I kind of stopped caring about that _The Harry Potter_ after Padma's death. I… I'm sorry I didn't tell you two, but I was scared. Now I don't know what to do. Do you know if it's gotten outside the school yet?" Harry asked. Ron nodded his head, and gave a sigh.

"Fraid so Harry, lots of bullocks from the Daily Profit, seems you're a danger to students again, and there's questions as to if you actually did fight you know who in the Ministry. Seems people have been pulling their kids out of Hogwarts and sending them across the channel to European Magic schools. Not a lot at first, but… Hermione and me recon that more are to come… err go in time. The article just came out two days ago. People are scared of you again… I'm sorry." Ron said honestly. Harry flopped down on his bed, a look of utter defeat on his face.

"Yea, well… you know the Profit, always had my back. Anything else?" Harry asked dejectedly.

"We haven't seen Seamus for a couple of days, and when we did, he was looking very ill. I thought he might be in hospital, but I didn't see him there." Hermione said concerned. Ron says he had a habit of disappearing, but this is the longest that he's ever been gone. We went to Professor McGonagall, and she's looking into it. Did you have a dream about doing anything to Seamus? I hate to ask, but its relevant. Harry shook his head.

"How could… how could people believe the Profit? Don't they realize that they keep changing their story? Harry asked. Ron shrugged.

"Only newspaper in the Wizarding world, someone's got to get their news from somewhere, even if it is bullocks, still makes people feel a bit informed. Mum's right pissed at it, but never has canceled her subscription. Just keeps reading and ranting about how the editors are off their chum." He said quietly.

"What about… the Quibbler?" Harry said. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, and then Harry.

"Well… we don't read it Harry. I mean… it's not really reliable, lots of silly stories, it's not really credible." Ron said. Harry rolled his eyes.

"And the Profit is. It was right when it published my story, and right about the Snorack. What did Luna say will her father write about my side of the story?" Ron and Hermione looked at each other again with worried expressions on their faces, and put their heads down.

"Well Harry, you see… Luna isn't talking to us right now. Ron… he told her about the break up and it hit her harder than we thought. She blames me for stealing Ron away, he wanted to wait for you to take to her, but we didn't know how long you would be here, and Mr. Walsh wouldn't let us see you. I'm sure she'll calm down soon, but she was really hurt." Hermione stated. Ron nodded his agreement.

"Yea, I um always told her I wasn't looking for a commitment, but… she just didn't understand for some reason. I tried to talk with her the other day, but she wouldn't even look at me. However Beverly Jones did stare me down with a "_Your Potter's friend aren't you?"_ Made me a tad nervous the way she was holding her wand so I didn't press Luna anymore.

"Well everything's just going smashing isn't it." Harry smirked. "Look I need to write a letter, can I give it to you two tomorrow at Breakfast and have you give it to Hagrid to deliver at Hogsmead?" Harry asked. Ron's eyebrow went up.

"Why do you need Hagrid to deliver it? We can send Owls out." Ron questioned.

"Its very personal, and I don't want anyone going through it. I'm going to be watched very closely by a Ministry official, and Mr. Filch tomorrow. I've been allowed to attend classes, without my wand of cores, but I have to have Filch and someone else as an escort to protect the other students from me." Harry said tragically. Even Ron seemed to grasp the situation.

"Who's the letter going to?" Ron asked curiously. Harry's eyes lowered, and tear almost developed, but he blinked it away.

"Who is not the problem, but where. I… I don't even know where it's going. I think Motherwell." Harry said softly. Ron scratched his head.

"Where is that?" Ron asked.

"It's outside of Glasgow." Hermione said. "But who do you know there Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Cho Chang. She's with her mother in hospital. I… I want to write her to let her know that it's not me doing this, that what people are saying isn't true. I want to let her know that I'm going to see her over Christmas Holliday." Harry said. "Hermione, can you find out exactly where she is?" Harry pleaded. Hermione nodded.

"Yes Harry, but I don't think her mother would be in Motherwell, maybe Glasgow, Edinburgh, or even London. From what I found out her mum is in pretty bad shape, and would likely be in a large hospital. I'll check into it, and let you know." Hermione smiled. Harry thanked her, and for the next hour the trio talked over things past, present and future. When Mr. Primfold finally arrived to let them know that it was time for Ron and Hermione to return to the Griffendore tower they said their goodbyes and Harry walked over to the Dresser with the Quill and parchment to write a letter, wishing that he had more than one sheet, and hoping that Cho would think that the ink smudges were the result of exposure to rain. After he had finished he set to thinking of possible escape plans at Christmas in case he couldn't get permission to go to see Cho. And hoping that Hermione would have found the right city in time. His mind turned to Cho, wondering what she was doing now that she hadn't completed school. An image of her selling beetle eyes as a shop clerk in Diagon Alley came into his mind. He could clearly see Cho's eternally sad face, almond brown eyes staring down at the floor. He remembered the tears that flowed from her porcelain skin, and onto his. _**God how I miss those tears!**_ Harry thought as he drifted off to sleep.


	63. Chapter 63

Hello everyone, it is at this time that I feel that I should explain something about the battle in Dumbledore's office. Some of you seem to think that he was defeated only by superior numbers. This is only partly true, you see, it did exhaust him do defeat Marietta and her minions, but he could have been up against a hundred students and with difficulty won, despite his being weakened in Eastern Europe. But it was the shape shifter impersonating him that really did him in. He was fighting basically with himself, as the shape shifter had all his powers, the twenty students were just a distraction for him to get into position, and have Dumbledore concentrate on their collective thoughts, also the shape shifters need to have Marietta think that it was going to fight as Seamus in the battle allowed Dumbledore to read her mind and decide who the enemy under the cloak was. Now the fight between Dumbledore one and two would have lasted a long time, and eventually ended in the real Dumbledore's favor, but now the students who were left became a deciding factor, as Dumbledore had to spend all his energy fighting himself, and so everyone else's jinxes worked on his weakened state. Then Marietta shot him up with the weakening serums and that was it. The title _**Twenty to one odds **_was meant to show the irony, sorry, I should have been more clear about that. But in any event, the shape shifter was the deciding factor, and without him and Marietta's belief that he was fighting as Seamus, Marietta could not have defeated Dumbledore with one hundred students. Also his being weakened from events in Eastern Europe was a deciding factor.

I think that my next chapter will be my last, if it is… I'll be turning the story over to someone else. I'll also leave a message for everyone. Take care…

Fenraellis: Thank you for your comments, but I don't think I'm going to be able to keep going much longer.

Anaon: I hope that the above post settled your concerns about the fight in the Head Masters office, my life is suffering, and I have suffered but that is going to come to an end soon. I won't make it to Kenya.

Retribution Knows None: Harry defiantly knew that something was wrong, but he suspects the imperious curse, not a copy of Dumbledore, he may figure it out, but that may not be for me to write.

T-person: Thanks for the compliment; I'm going to miss your reviews. I'm going to read the book today. I hope that you enjoy this chapter; if you want me to read anymore reviews you better hurry and write them. I hope you keep interest in the story if it goes to someone else.

**Chapter 63: Polly-juice Switch**

**Breakfast in the Great Hall:**

Harry walked into the room flanked by Mr. Primfold of the Ministry of Magic, and Mr. Filch on either side. He stopped suddenly surveying the room of faces that looked up at him. There were fewer students than before; apparently a few of the children's parents had already sent for them to return, or even come to the school themselves to fetch them. He scanned the tables one by one starting with the Slytherin. There he received dirty looks from the purebloods assembled there, noting new, but he hated the satisfied look that Draco Malfoy was giving him, it felt a bad omen. Harry next turned his gaze on the Huffelpuff, and Ravenclaw tables, where Emmitt and Brian Walsh, (no relation) gave him dirty looks as the Slytherins did. The rest of the table's occupants expressions were a mixture of terrified, and disgusted. But, very disconcerting was Beverly Jones who seemed to be gripping her wand ready to thrust it at him. He glanced down further to see Luna Lovegood staring down at her plate of Ham and Eggs quite oblivious to his arrival. Finally Harry looked over to his house table of Griffendore; there several students turned their back on him. If he had any supporters no one showed it, apart from Hermione and Ron, who were waving him over. He walked over to where they sat, and a few third years quickly moved further away. Harry wasn't sure if it was to make room for Filch, and Mr. Primfold, who plopped down on either side of him, or if it was just to be far away from him. Either way, he felt distressed about the uneasy quite that fell over the great hall. Some students were even getting up to go to class early just to avoid being in the same room with him. Harry looked down at his plate as Ham and eggs appeared magically, but he wasn't that hungry. He looked up at Ron and Hermione.

So, I guess you two got here early?" Harry asked casually. They both nodded. "Anyone believe my side of things?" Harry asked.

"Most of the DA members. I guess you have the Quidditch team to support you. Some students here and there, but you don't really have anymore enemies than you had before… it's just that people are scared of you… its silly, but there it is.

"What's the DA?" Mr. Primfold asked curiously from Harry's right side. Filch turned to Mr. Primfold and scoffed from Harry's left.

"Potter has a long history of illegal activity at this school. This latest thing isn't the only nasty deed he's been accused of. He used to have an illegal Dark Arts class full of mischievous students who defied the Ministries teachings. Who known's what dark magic they were conjuring up in there, and who knows if Potter was raising an army of Wizards and Witches to take over the Ministry." Filch said accusingly. Mr. Primfold nodded.

"Ah yes I remember reading something about that, Dumbledore's Army wasn't it? But didn't the Head Master run that though?" Mr. Primfold asked curiously.

"**Excuse me; can we have a private conversation please?" **Ron shouted in an offended tone. Filch leaned toward him.

"Mr. Potter's private conversations are a thing of the past for now. We have to think of the safety of the other students, who he may hurt if left alone with them. You know what a bad reputation he has." Filch said. Ron clenched his fork tightly, and gave Filch a loathing look.

"You're the one with the bad reputation… _squib!_" he said through gritted teeth. Mr. Filch gave returned the loathing look.

"Better watch your mouth _boy, _or you'll be lashed within an inch of your worthless life. I may be a… but I'm a pureblood thru and thru, and unlike you not a _blood traitor._" Mr. Primfold glanced from Ron to Filch with a disapproving glance.

"Now look you two… I'll have you know that I have family members that are squibs, and friends who associate with Muggle-borne, and there is nothing wrong with either, furthermore I…" Mr. Primfold started in, but was cut off by Ron and Filch blaring at him.

"_**No one asked you!"**_ They shouted in unison.

Suddenly there was the sound of metal hitting the ground, and everyone looked to the direction that it had come from. Harry gave a sheepish grin.

"Opps dropped my fork, Hermione will you help me find it Harry said putting his head under the table. Hermione followed suit, and saw Harry handing her the note that he had written the night before to Cho Chang. She took it and put it in her pocket a moment before Filch stuck his nosy face under the table as well.

"What are you two doing under there?" Filch asked suspiciously.

"Looking for my fork." Harry gave an innocent expression, and turned to stare at the ground. "Ah, here it is." He exclaimed picking it up, and rising from the table. Filch did not let up his untrusting glair at Harry.

For the remainder of the meal and every meal after that, no one said a word. Over the next few weeks students in Harry's classes seemed to have trouble concentrating on the assignments that they were given for constantly glancing back at Harry with uncertainly, disgust, and sometimes even genuine fear. There were still supporters that wished him well from time to time, mostly from the DA, but in the end Harry's list of friends was rapidly decreasing. Over the next month and a half it was the same, and Harry didn't talk to people much, but became largely withdrawn. At least his solitude allowed him to catch up on his studies, and at least Hermione and Ron were allowed to visit him for two hours each day, but he missed a trip to Hogsmead in the meantime. In addition to working on his studies, Harry spent a considerable Amount of time thinking on his last meeting with Dumbledore. _What had happened? Something didn't seem right. His eyes were so black that they looked hollow. He had kept calling me Mr. Potter, and used the name of a treat that he didn't like for the password. In addition, he has become distant. Is he under the imperious curse, or… something else? Something is wrong, and I wonder if I should refer my questions to Professor McGonagall from now on. _

**The Head Masters office:**

Marietta stood behind a set of curtains as the fraudulent Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall argued over Harry Potter and Dumbledore's refusal to have Order meetings anywhere but the Great Hall. Marietta's Dumbledore was doing a good job of fooling the staff so far, no one could suspect what he was, because after all he was Dumbledore in every genetic way possible. But there was a tradeoff to his perfect copy ability as well. He could not leave the Castle, and Dumbledore was more powerful when he was not given the injection by her twice a day and the injection had the terrible side effect of dilating his eyes, which caused him to have to where sunglasses to keep his eyes from being damage, and hurting. This might have been something that he could wave off as a spell gone wrong, but it still left his fellow masters annoyingly wanting to help, and recommending he go to Madam Pomfree and let her fix him up. He finally convinced a few of them that he was working on a new defensive spell that caused the side effects, but that it took a time for the effects to where off. That shut most of them up, but Professor McGonagall had special matters to discuss, and Marietta felt that she was becoming more suspicious.

"I'm telling Albus, you need to take more of an active role in Easter Europe again, the Aurors from their Ministry are having a bloody mess of a time against You-Know-Who. I know that you said that you needed to spend more time with Harry, but you could walk down to Hogsmead and apperate every weekend, just to catch up to speed with the Hungarian Minister, and his staff. And the least you can do is go talk to the leader of the Centaurs! Professor Hagrid is having so much trouble with them; it's become dangerous for him to enter the forest. And what about the Order, you haven't had a meeting in Grimald Place for some time; you keep having me bring members here to report to you, now you know how that could endanger them." Professor McGonagall lectured him. "Albus, what is going on with you? You can tell me if there is something wrong?" Professor Dumbledore sighed, and had a weary look on his face.

"I'm tired Minerva, tired of the war, and I'm old. I need to rest. I'm just trying to pass on some of the responsibility, so I can rest. I'm weak from my battle with the Death Eaters… when I fought Bellatrix Lestrange. I promise that I will take care of the Order concerns and Hagrid's as well. Please just a little more time." Dumbledore pleaded. Professor McGonagall nodded finally.

"Very well Albus, but I can tell something more than that is wrong. We'll discuss this later." She said, and turned to go, still upset. When she was sure that Professor McGonagall was well away Marietta pushed aside the curtains and walked up to the false Dumbledore.

"**That was too bloody close! You're slipping too much, she almost saw right through you! We cannot afford to lose everything we have gained because you cannot properly impersonate one old blood traitor!" **Marietta shouted hotly. "You said that you could read his thoughts, and tell the others things only that were discussed between Dumbledore and themselves, but you seem to be reaching for memories, what has happened?" Marietta asked through gritted teeth. Her lover spun around giving her a blistering stare that caused her to jump back.

"I _can_ reach into his memories, and I can imitate him correctly, but it's more difficult than I had anticipated it would be. The serum that you give him to weaken his powers also affects me, and it makes it more difficult to sort through his mind without great difficulty, in addition to his own attempts to keep me out. We need a way to restrain him without having to inject the potion. In addition, she would naturally be suspicious that I don't seem to be going very far from the castle, and cannot attend these meetings of this stupid order." He said resentfully. Marietta stared at the floor disappointed with herself.

"I… I can't keep him contained unless I give him the potion; it also keeps him from summoning help. I've not had enough time to train to do that, but the Professor will take care of that when he arrives." She said more calmly. The false Dumbledore scoffed.

"Ha! The Professor. Now when is he supposed to arrive? We've been here more or less on our own for over a month and a half since we've captured him… and the Masters are becoming suspicious. If he doesn't arrive soon… we're going to be found out. When are we going to kill Potter so I can take over some else?" the shape shifter asked. Marietta pulled a cigarette out of her purse and lit it. She took a drag off of it, and exhaled. She then took a long look at the smoldering end, as if it were a disgusting thing.

"I've got to stop this smoking these. I used to be able to run three times around the length of the castle before tiring, now I'm knackered after just one and a half." Marietta said regretfully.

"**I asked you a question!" **Her lover shouted.

"I know you did love, and I don't know, I think that it will be around the time that the Ministry officials take him away to London. The later part of Christmas break. Think you can wait that long?" she finished. He sat back down in his chair.

"I suppose so. When do you want to send your friend the letter from him?" He asked. Marietta reflected at the same time.

"Before then, in time for _her_ to come back here. You can write her a letter of acceptance to the school, and then she could tell everyone what our friend under the floor of Uncle Filches office said to her about Potter before Potter leaves." Marietta smiled. Dumbledore still had a grim look on his face.

"You sure that she'll come back for him?" Dumbledore asked.

"He'll have to. You know she loves him still. She'll be here, and when we turn her against Potter then no one will support him. When the parents demand Dumbledore force Potter out of close the school then you my dear, will have no choice but to send him away. But first we have some minor details to attend to, and right before Potter leaves we have some other business to attend to, and a teaching position to open up. Which means that I have to take my invisibility cloak to the green houses one more time. Oh! You have to make another appearance as Mr. Finnegan, and you did write that request to his family to stay in Hogwarts didn't you?" Marietta asked. Dumbledore nodded.

"Not only that, but I have received permission for it. I wrote as Dumbledore assuring them that it was perfectly safe, and writing that he was going to take extra lessons with me that would allow him to become head boy next year. They were elated, despite the fact that they would miss him over the summer. Of coerce I had to tell them to be quite hush-hush about it, not wanting to show favoritism and ruin his chances. "He finished. Marietta beamed.

"Wonderful! You've done well. But you'll have to write him a note, excusing his constant absences, but in the end it won't matter. Tell me, how is dear Seamus feeling these days?" Marietta said happily, her mood having changed completely. Dumbledore frowned.

"Not to well, he's pale, depressed, and thin despite having gone through most of the food already. He's also going a bit mental. When I become him, it takes great effort not to break down and cry. I don't think he'll last longer than a month without coming out of the cell; it's mostly the solitude you see. I should mention that he now has one desire in life, _to kill you… slowly." _He finished. A chill ran down Marietta's spine, but she recovered after a minute.

"Well… he's going to be disappointed. After we get rid of Potter it won't matter… and he can rot in that cell. But until Potter leaves, Mr. Finnegan will have to make enough appearances to stop people asking too many questions, so I want to see him tonight at the great Hall, and try not to break down into tears." Marietta finished. Seamus nodded with a slight grin.

Harry stood at the foot of his bed, and waited for Ron, hoping that he would agree to his plan, and hoping that his parents would agree to let Ron stay at Hogwarts over the Christmas Holidays_. Will he agree? This is the biggest favor that I've ever asked of someone. It could be dangerous, but I have to know, I have to go see her, and it's the only way. I hope that he was able to get the ingreadances, and that Snape won't notice any of it missing until he gets back from Christmas Holliday. What will Ron think… will he say yes, will he even understand. Hermione had handed me the information yesterday. She's in London. I hadn't expected that… must be a nurse, or a Doctor or something. Why would she do that, go to live amongst those people? She's supposed to be here, that world has nothing for her. But I've got to see her… got to talk to her. But will she believe me or the papers? I don't know. _Somewhere in his reflections Ron came into the room unnoticed, not having to knock anymore as he used to.

"Oy, Harry what's up." Ron said, as he pulled two small green bottles from under his robes each marked with their perspective names on them. Harry waved Ron over to his bed, and he took a seat next to him.

"Hello Ron, how are you?" Harry asked.

"Confused Harry, Hermione asked me to bring these bottles to you." He pulled open the top of one and had a whiff. "Smells like Polly-juice potion." Ron said confused. Harry nodded.

"It's is Polly-Juice Potion. I need you to help me Ron, I need to leave school for personal reasons, and since your dad agreed to let you stay here over the summer, well I needed to ask you a big favor." Harry said hesitantly. Ron's eyebrow rose.

"Leave school, where are you going, are you going to try to run off and hide, like Sirius did?" He asked. Harry was hesitant to tell him, but if he was going to ask him to do this than he had to be very honest with him about what he was going to attempt.

"No, before you and Hermione left for that last Hogsmead trip I asked her to make a phone call at the phone offices in Hogsmead to her parents. I needed to know where in Motherwell Cho Chang lived, or what Hospital her mum was at, and we thought that after that we could ask Dobby to act as a messenger back and fourth because it' now quicker than the mail. Anyway, he popped in today, and told me that Hermione had some news for me from her parents, and that I should talk with her as soon as possible. Ron… I want to… I need to meet Cho Chang. I have to talk to her about everything in the papers. I have to talk about what they are saying about me, and let her know that it's not true. I want to also convince her to come back to school. But mostly I just have to see her again. So… I need to ask you this favor to help me. I need you to impersonate me for a short time. Which means that you'll be stuck here, but I recon since Hermione and you are now on good terms, and since she's staying here this Christmas that you two can use the room to snog, and… more." Harry said hesitantly. Ron had a slight smile at the thought of two hours in a room alone with Hermione.

"Wow… that sounds… very good, but why don't you just get Dumbledore to help you with going to London? I mean, he could really work something up for you, and pull some more strings with the Ministry…" Ron added but Harry cut him off.

"I can't trust him." Harry said gloomily. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on Harry, you can't hold what happened to Sirius and you being kept in the dark for the summer against him forever, he…" Ron went on but Harry cut in again.

"It's not that, but he's been acting strange and I don't know what to make of it. I really think that he may under the imperious curse. His eyes are dilated; they look like sharks eyes, that is why he's been wearing those sunglasses, that Hermione told me about when he's in the Great Hall. Also… when I spoke to him the last couple of times… something wasn't right. It's like I was talking to a stranger. I can't explain it." Harry said in a most serious tone. Ron shook his head.

"Come off it mate, Dumbledore's the most powerful wizard in the world. No way Voldermort could put him under the curse. He's invincible." He said assuredly. This time it was Harry's turn to shake his head.

"I wish I could believe that Ron, but I know something was wrong from our last meeting. I think Voldermort himself may be influencing him. But never mind that for now. I need to know if you will help me? I know it's a lot to ask but it would only be for a day or two, certainly no more than three. I know it's a lot to ask but I'll owe you big. And I don't mean to press, but I have to know by tomorrow. Please Ron, I have to see her again. I don't know what's going to happen after Christmas break." Harry pleaded. Ron was silent for several minutes; he seemed to ponder what Harry was asking, the benefits, and the consequences. Finally he decided. He looked at Harry in a serious tone.

"Do they ever interrupt you without knocking?" He asked. Harry shook his head. Ron looked around the room. "And are the walls quite soundproof?" He continued.

"As far as I know" Harry replied. Ron gave a great sigh. Well I know Hermione would never approve but…" Ron started, but was cut off.

"She already has, she seemed to understand. I would have thought that it would have been harder to convince her, but I didn't. I asked her first because I need her to make the Polly-juice potion. She said it was one of the most romantic things she'd ever hear of." Harry finished.

"Well I guess I'm in too Harry." He said shaking Harry's hand. "When do you want to do it?"

"Tomorrow, if you don't mind." Harry said. Ron nodded. Harry gave him a tight hug, a tear streaming from his eye. When they pulled apart, Ron looked at Harry quizzically.

"You know, I've never understood the relation between you two. You both seemed to be at each others throats all year, and I never did find out what was up with Cho in the potions lab, or finding her earring in the bewitched room, or weather it was her under the invisibility cloak. Did you ever get your answers, to weather it what she was doing?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head.

"No, but I don't need them… I just trust her, and I suppose she will tell me in time. I'm just going to trust her for once. And… it wasn't like we were at each others throats; it's more like I was at her throat all year, but… I need her now. I need her to believe in me." Harry said. Ron nodded.

"OK Harry, so tomorrow it Is. Thanks for the room, and do you think I should bring flowers and candles for after you leave? You know, make it more romantic?" Ron asked. Harry nodded.

"Oh, yes I think that she would like that." Harry replied. Ron nodded.

**The Next Day:**

Hermione poured two goblets full of the mixture, and gave one to Harry and one to Ron. After a short time Ron and Harry had switched forms, now looking like each other. Ron who now looked like Harry gave Harry who now looked like Ron a key. He looked down at it.

"What's this?" Harry asked.

"It's the key to the Griffendore changing room at the Quidditch pitch. Your _**firebolt **_is there in the broom closet, _fastest way to England._ Harry nodded his thanks, and Hermione said that she would accompany him out since he now looked like Ron, Mr. Primfold would expect the two to leave together, and she said that she would accompany Harry down to the Pitch. They made their way down several corridors, and to the pitch before Harry left Hermione had him wait so that she could give him some advice. She handed him one of the green Polly-juice bottles, it had only a small amount in it.

"Now listen Harry, you've only had enough potion to keep you looking like Ron for about an hour, and then it wears off. I thought that you showing up as Ron might confuse her. Also there is enough of it to take when you get back to the castle so that you can switch places again. I guess since you'll be going to a Muggle hospital in England that no one will be looking for you, but try not to make yourself too visible." Hermione said helpfully.

"Thanks, so it's defiantly England, and not Scotland?" He asked curiously. Hermione nodded.

She handed him some parchment. "Take this paper, and look at it now, it's got the address of the Hospital that Cho's mum is staying at, and evidently where Cho works at. It's called Wellington Hospital, in London. My parents found out for me, and told Dobby. They weren't able to find out where Cho lived because there were several Changs in London, and mum didn't have the time to look through all of them, and she was just lucky to find the one Chang in Wellington Hospital, right before she was about to give up on searching. She went through a lot of trouble for this Harry so make it count." Hermione said in a serious tone. Harry nodded.

"Thank you Hermione, thanks for everything. How your mum… did how was she able to search for…" Harry began.

"She's got connections Harry, you just concentrate on getting Cho back, you see, I'm only guessing that Cho works there. I think it's a good bet if her mum is sick there. Luna told me that she was desperate to see her." Hermione finished. Harry's face expressed surprise.

"_Cho… works… for Muggles?"_ He asked.

"I guess so Harry, my family found a Chang working there, well they found out that a Chang worked there, but didn't have the information on what she did by the time Dobby reported to me. But I guess she does work there." Hermione said.

"Harry thought of what Cho might be doing at the Hospital? _What could a magic user do at a Muggle hospital? Is she using cheering charms to make people better, or even doing surgery, has Cho become a… a doctor? Should I ask for Dr. Cho Chang, or just simply Head Nurse Cho Chang? What could she possibly be doing working for Muggles? _Harry wondered.

After he spent several minutes going over the map with Hermione, and deciding on the time and distance that it would take him to get there, Hermione reached into her purse, pulled out two hundred and fifty pounds, and handed it to Harry. She looked up at him.

"Never thought I'd need this, carried it since my first year, mum and dad wanted me to have it just in case, never got used to Wizarding money. You'll need to have a place to stay when you go to London, and you can rent a room for a couple of days, get something to eat, and even get bus fare, or if you need to take the tubes." Hermione said. Harry started to protest, but Hermione put her hand up to stop him. "Harry, this is a lone, you can pay it back some other time… so don't protest. Besides, you can't exactly waltz into Gringots can you? By the time you get to London the potion will have worn off, and you need the rest of it for when you return here." Harry nodded his head. "This is so romantic Harry, you risking yourself and flying all the way to London to go after the girl that you love. I think that it's one of the most romantic acts I've ever known." Hermione said with a tear in her eye. "I wonder if Ron would do the same for me?" She said sorrowfully. Harry gave her a hug.

"I'm sure he would Hermione, that you… thank you for everything. I've got to be off now, but I'll be back in a few days, I promise." Harry mounted his firebolt, and with a final wave shot into the sky towards London as fast as his broom would carry him. _Wellington Hospital here I come! _He thought, and as the icy wind blew in his face. He wished that he had brought a heavier coat.


	64. Chapter 64

T-Person: Thanks for hanging in there.

Frogge2: Thanks for your cheery attitude throughout.

Ravestna: Thanks for the spell check;), and thanks for the review:)

Well, here it is, Chapter 64. I'm not very good at romance, but I just wrote how I felt. Probably a bit of a let down… sorry.

**Chapter 64: Irritating Miss Mac Alistair**

Harry had been flying for three hours, and was just now reaching the outskirts of the great Capital of London. From time to time he had caught a glimpse of a Wizard or Witch on a broom flying in the distance on some late night business. He thought it odd that they did not seem to fear running into You-Know-Who… or was it that they again no longer believed that he had come back? Harry thought. Maybe their back to believing that Harry was an insane nutter that was bound to go off killing someone, or even possibly had already done so to a fellow student. He thought. _And what will Cho think when I finally see her? I've been accused of being a liar by the Ministry and Profit before, but never of being a… murder. She didn't believe them before, but will she believe me now? Please… let her believe me._ Deeper and deeper into London Harry plunged, hovering now and then to hover, and read the map in his numb hands, he felt that he could barely breathe from the cold air hurting every piece of him, and yet despite this several other witches and wizards were out flying tonight as well. The closer he got to the City's center the denser the broom traffic became, until he could see hundreds of people zooming around on brooms left and right. One person flew close to Harry and gave him a nod, then appeared to do a double take, and attempted to get a better look at him, but before he could Harry dived down to an empty street. Harry finally landed in a dark alley off a slowly trafficked street. It was too dangerous to fly anymore he reckoned because there were too many people flying around up there who knew what Harry Potter looked like, and the Polly-juice potion had long worn off. He couldn't even catch the Night Bus if he still looked like Ron, as his wand had been taken away by Mr. Walsh. He would have to catch a taxi if he wanted to continue. Harry stepped out onto the street, still bitterly cold from his long flight. When were they going to learn a spell to heat brooms? Didn't broom makers know that speed wasn't everything? He thought rubbing his hands together. He hoped that he wouldn't get frost bite, how would he explain to Madam Pomfree if he had to go see her about it when he got back? Harry read the address of Wellington Hospital once more, and the put the parchment back in his rather inadequate coat jacket. He moved over to the side walk, having to wait a full ten minutes in the cold before he saw a cab coming towards him. He then quickly pulled out some of the money that Hermione had given him, and waved it in his hand so that it was clearly visible In the cabs headlights. The taxi came screeching to a halt right next to him, and the driver smiled at him from inside. Harry flung himself in the back seat, instantly hit by the rush of heat that felt so wonderful. The driver had had his car heater on full blast for some time now evidently, as the windows were not the least bit fogged up. Christmas music came from the car radio, and the driver looked back to him grinning.

"Where to governor?" he asked smiling. Harry handed him the parchment from his pocket, and pointed to the address that was written on it.

"T… t… take me to the closest hotel you can find to hospital." Harry said. The driver, nodded, and sped on his way. Twenty minutes later, Harry had given the driver payment and a decent gratuity, and was checked into the Knight's Inn, a four story comfortable hotel with cable TV, and a small, all hours café situated next to it. He had sat his wakeup call for eight in the morning, feeling that it was too late to try and locate Cho at the hospital as the time was now two twenty AM. Harry flung himself on one of the twin beds, and began reflecting on his relationship with Cho over the past two years.

_If like Hermione said I, hadn't been so tactless on our first date then maybe… How long did we stay there in silence at Madam Puddenfoots? I don't know. Everyone around us was snogging, and I guess that she expected me to as well. I guess any other guy might have. I was nervous, and I couldn't look at her. Guess that was my first mistake ignoring her like that because of it. How long did I act like she wasn't there? Too long I guess, but I didn't know what to do. I just wasn't really up for snogging at the time, but I guess that it was a date and she was hoping for romance. Well I was a big let down. And then I got upset that she brought up Cedric, crying and pleading with me to talk about it. I know she was wrong to bring it up on a date, but I should have also realized that she was hurting, trying to open up to me about her grief, and I just didn't want to talk about it. But what would it have hurt to listen to her, to be there for her? Now that I think about it, I didn't seem to have a problem telling Rita Skitter every detail about what happened that day, and I don't even like her. _

_Now another year, and look how I've treated her .False accusations, yelling… a racist slur. She was hiding something, but what? I understand about her mum, and how she couldn't tell anyone about her, but what of the late night visits to the potions room? What of the earring in the bewitched room, or the invisibility cloak… wait, she said she didn't have one, but how did she get back to her tower without passing Ron and I? I deserve to know these things, but I suppose I've been tactless again in trying to obtain an answer. Well that's finished. I'm going to be there for her. I'm only going to say the things that I should have been saying all along… if she doesn't believe the things about me that the profit has been saying. The last time on the train platform, I told her I loved her… I meant it. I kissed her, and she kissed me back, but she didn't tell me that she loved me. __**"God Damn you Harry Potter, how could you do this to me now?" **__What did she mean? I've got to find out, if I have another chance, I'm not going to blow it. _Harry crossed his fingers. _Third time lucky, third times a charm. Well, let's hope so anyway. _Harry's thoughts were interrupted as the double-decker bus pulled up to the station, its breaks hissing as it stopped. He collected his things and walked up to the door, moving aside as a few people stepped off. Finally Harry stepped into the bus and took a seat in the center by himself.

The next day found Harry walking through the front, sliding glass doors of Wellington Hospital, a pristine white multi-storied building in downtown London. The foray lay adjacent to the lifts that accessed the many offices, and departments on the upper levels. The foray was full of people in all manor of dress, from staff in their work casuals or scrubs, to various patients coming in wearing anything from formal tailored suits, to t-shirts, and jeans. Just inside Harry spotted an information desk where a young black haired woman was typing away on a keyboard behind a computer; her ID card read Elizabeth Mac Alistair; Information consultant. Harry walked over to the desk, and smiled at her, though he wasn't really sure if he felt happy or not. Part of him was jubilant that he was about to see Cho again, and he wondered if she would let him kiss her again, and part of him was afraid that this time she would believe the daily profit. It was turning his stomach in knots trying to decide how he felt about the situation.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked politely.

"Err… yes; I need to know which floor Dr. Cho Chang is on please?" He asked in a kind tone.

"Certainly sir, which department is he in?" she asked.

"Department? Oh… I don't know exactly, and Cho is a she." Harry said a bit taken aback at the question.

"Oh, sorry, well is she a general practitioner, or a cancer specialist, or something else, what is her specialty?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not quite sure… I don't really know what she does exactly." Harry said at a loss. The woman behind the information counter gave him a funny look.

"What are you going in to see her for, a cold, flu, physical?" she asked.

"I'm a friend, and I just came from Scotland to see her. I found out she was working here, but I don't know the department. Is there a way you can find out without knowing the particular department?" Harry asked. The nurse smiled and nodded.

"Well, you don't sound Scottish sir, but I can do a general search for you, it will just take a minute." She said politely.

"Thanks, actually I'm English like yourself, but I go to boarding school in Scotland you see." Harry said as the woman looked at her computer screen, and typed in some information.

"Type in search… _Dr... Cho… Chang… scanning… and…" _The woman stopped typing, and looked at a list of Doctors names running her finger down the screen looking at the names. Harry could barely make out the names from his position, but could see it was a list. The woman's face turned to a frown. "Well I'm sorry sir, but she isn't here." She said apologetically, and moved the mouse clicking off the page of names.

"What?! What do you mean not here?" Harry said in surprise. The woman looked up at him confused.

"I mean there is not Dr. Cho Chang working at the hospital. Are you sure you got the right one?" she asked. Harry nodded, but started to panic, he didn't have a lot of time to find her.

"Well… could you check again please?" He asked sincerely. "Maybe you didn't do it right." Harry said in a friendly tone, but realized to late the manner in which he phrased it.

"Excuse me?" The woman said offended. Harry put his hands before him palms out in a jester of apology.  
"No wait, I didn't mean anything by that, I just meant that… well I'm sure she works here, and it's really important that I see her. Please could you look again, please?" Harry asked with a tone of desperation. The woman gave him a funny look, and then gave a deep sigh. She moved the mouse to the computer, and began typing again, saying the words out loud.

"_Searching… Dr… Cho… Chang… scanning… and_… she's not here sir." She said to him. Harry lowered his head in disappointment. He thanked the woman and walked over to a row of orange seats against the wall, flopping himself down. Harry closed his eyes, and sighed. He had felt so close. Had Hermione been wrong? He tried to think of what he was missing, what Cho might be doing if she wasn't a doctor. Suddenly in a flash it hit as Harry remembered another position that Cho might have, he stood back up and rushed over to the information desk again, where the woman had resumed typing on her keyboard.

"Excuse me miss…" Harry stared. She looked up at him surprised to see his return, and waited for his request.

"… but could you look up _Head Nurse_ Cho Chang?" The woman gave a sigh, and shot Harry a contemptuous look.

"I thought that you said it was _Dr._ Cho Chang?" she said in a harsh tone. Harry lowered his head.

"Yes, I did, but I haven't talked to her in a while, and I didn't know her position exactly, I just assumed she would be a doctor. Look I'm sorry to bother, really, but it's very important that I find her. The woman begrudgingly nodded, moved the mouse, and began typing again, she moved the computer monitor with her hand to allow Harry to see it better, apparently so he couldn't say that she had made a mistake.

"_Head… Nurse… Cho… Chang… searching… and_… she's not here, see?" The woman said, pointing at the five names of the department heads, of which Cho's name did not appear. Harry was surprised that he was able to feel even more disappointed, he was sure that Cho would have been in an elevated position, but clearly the computer had shown that she was neither a doctor, nor a head nurse." Miss Mac Alistair stated.

"Well could you …check for just nurse? Maybe…" Harry started, but was cut off.

"Look! Do you know anything about your friend? I mean the only thing that you seem to know about her is her name, and I'm starting to get agitated with you. Now if I agree to look again will you stop pestering me?" The woman said in a scornful voice, throwing away any pretext of calm. Harry simply nodded his agreement. The woman typed in Cho's name again in a general search for nurses. Harry looked at the list on the monitor as the woman moved her finger down the screen and not finding any nurse Cho Chang. About to give up, he had one final thought. The reason that Cho had left Hogwarts in the first place, the one thing that drew her to Wellington hospital in the first place. He spun around to face the woman again.

"Sorry just one more thing..." Harry started. The woman rose out of her chair her face red, and her hands balled into fist.

"Yes?" she said through gritted teeth.

"… but could you look for a patient by the name of Chang?" The woman shot her arm forward, pointing a finger at the door.

"Piss off, or I'll call security, and have you tossed out on your arse!" Miss Mac Allister shouted. Harry gave a sigh, he had been to specific in his request for information, and he had been to sure of what Cho would be doing at the hospital. He now had to make this woman understand that he wasn't trying to be a prat, and that he was serious about finding out about anyone named Chang that was in the hospital. He turned to her again and spoke in the most honest and calm tone that he could muster.

"Please miss, I'm sorry that I'm not sure what to ask for. My ex-girlfriend whom I love more than anything else in the world is working here in London at a hospital, before she left Scotland I was a prick to her, and… I've been regretting it everyday since she has left. I don't know if she's Dr. Cho Chang, or head Nurse Cho Chang or whatever, but I know that my friend said that she took a job here to be with her mum who has cancer. I can't go back without talking to her, I have to see her one more time, and tell her that I'm sorry, and tell her that I might not be able to see her for a long time. I'm certain that if I could find out where her mum was, than I could wait for her. Than I could see her, and tell her _I love her_!" Harry pleaded. It seemed he had done more groveling in the last few minutes than he had in his entire life, but how much time did he have? How soon to find her before he went up for trial for a crime he didn't commit? The woman eyed him coldly, for a moment, and then her face softened.

"Look, judging by your age I can't see you having an ex-girlfriend being old enough to be a doctor or a Head Nurse, how old is she?" The woman asked sharply.

"Seventeen." Harry replied softly.

"And did you know that it takes years of University to be a doctor, or a Head Nurse?" she asked. Harry hung his head low, and sighed.

"No, I guess I just forgot. I'm not very familiar with the qualifications you need to work in a hospital" He stated in a defeated tone.

"Well, I'm sorry about your circumstances sir, but I cant give out patient information to non- family members, and there is no _Dr. Cho Chang, Head Nurse Cho Chang,_ or any other _nurse Cho Chang_ of any type working _here_ for that matter…" The woman said in a tone more instructive than harsh. "Perhaps your friend who sent you was mistaken about the hospital she was working at… have you tried"

"Excuse me, did you say You were looking for Cho Chang?" Interrupted a pleasant voice from behind Harry. He turned to face a smiling, fit looking black woman in green hospital scrubs. She looked to be in her late twenties, and her ID badge read **Carol Kenyetta **_**Nurse: ICU**_.

"Yes do you know her?" Harry asked hopefully.

"I know her, she…" The woman started, but Harry cut her off quickly.

"_**Where is she!!" **_Harry blurted out. "Oh, I'm sorry; I'm just in a bit of a panic. It's terribly important." Harry apologized for his outburst. The woman smiled.

"No problem, I just saw her, she's on the fifth floor rehabilitation room cleaning up." The woman said cheerfully. Harry gave her a tight hug out of nowhere.

"Thank you, thank you sooo much." Harry said, and with that he shot out towards the other direction in a quick run. He skidded to a stop at the first lift and began clicking the up button repeatedly. _Come on, come on, I'm so close... What did that nurse mean... cleaning up? _He thought to himself. It seemed to take for ever for it to come down, and once the doors opened Harry rushed inside the empty space and pushed the fifth floor button. The lift rose up, and Harry watched the green digital floor numbers count up on the panel above, as classical music played from speakers behind him. _So close_, he thought to himself. The elevator doors opened and Harry rushed out, and quickly surveyed his surroundings. To his left he saw a nurse's station lit by florescent lights imbedded in the ceiling, and to his right a waiting room with large windows that brought in a blinding sun light, obscuring a figure in a brown uniform with long raven black hair, who was mopping the floor with their back to Harry. Harry walked to the nurse's station, where a woman who appeared to be in her sixties sat writing something in a folder. "Miss, I'm looking for Cho Chang, I was told that she was on this floor. Harry said his voice carrying a mixture of exasperation and elation. The woman stood up and leaned over the counter that separated her from Harry, pointing down the opposite way he had come.

"I believe I saw Miss Chang head down that way." The woman said cordially, and pointed down the hall. Harry thanked her and headed down the hall looking for Cho in each of the open rooms for Cho as he passed. Finally he thought he saw a glimpse of an almond eyed girl through a half closed door on the left, but as he entered he realized that it was another ethnically Asian nurse who only slightly resembled Cho, and spoke with a distinct English accent as opposed to a Scottish one. Harry continued down the corridor looking left and right into each opened door for Cho as he went. Finally as he neared the end of the corridor he had to squint to protect his eyes from the sunlight. Through the rays the figure of the janitor, pushing a trolley with a wastebasket and mop bucket resting on it walked slowly towards him. The figure walked towards him, still blurred by the sun rays pouring in behind the man. Closer the figure approached, and now Harry could make out that it was not a man, but the shapely figure of a woman walking, closer and Harry felt something familiar of the figure walking towards him, but the face was still obscured by the radiant beams filling the corridor from the oversize windows around her, giving the illusion that the light was coming from the woman herself. Harry was drawn suddenly to the figure by some hypnotic force that he didn't understand. Closer still and he could see the figure was wearing head phones, a CD player attached to her belt, and the figure was now more visible, and Harry could see she was actually a young girl. She was so close now that her features quickly came into view, button nose… olive completed skin… raven black hair… eternally sad, almond shaped eyes lowered to the floor, not yet aware of his presents. _**Cho! **_The very thought of the name shot through him with overwhelming joy, and he rushed at her with full speed.

"_**Cho!!!" **_Harry screamed with a tone that was far beyond ecstasy, and it blasted louder than the music she was listening to from her headphones.

Cho looked up at the last second, her eyes when wide with the shock of Harry Potter rushing her. She was tackled full force by a tight embrace that knocked the earphones from her head. Harry pressed his face against hers, for a long moment, his tears streaming from his eyes to her cheek. His body was trembling against her as their arms embraced each other, they each held tight as if holding on to a dream that might slip away, as if holding on for dear life itself. Harry soon felt tears on his face not his own, as Cho's tears merged with his own. Quickly they were both crying together, sniffing back fluids in their sinus. After a moment Harry pulled away to look into Cho's eyes, watery though they were, they seemed now less sad to him. She wiped her face with her sleeve, brushing away the river of saline, and tried to speak.

"Harry, what are ya… muumph!"

Harry tilted his head and pressed his lips against Cho's, not giving her a chance to finish her question. He moved his hands gently holding the back of her head with this left hand, whilst rubbing the small of her back with his right. It wasn't a moment for words; it was a moment for action. It was a moment for physical expression, to show her how he felt about her. Too many times words had failed him; too many times he had used the wrong words or expressed himself in a foolish manner with disastrous results. Harry's tong moved into Cho's mouth, and for a brief movement her eyes went wide with shock, and he feared that she might pull away, but a dazed look suddenly replaced it, her arms pulled him tighter, and her tong joined his in an enchanted twirling mutual massage. Neither of them knew how long they stood there kissing and hugging each other in a passionate frenzy and neither cared. Harry wanted to stay locked in that moment for all eternity, but eventually they would have to come up for air and Cho pulled her head away, and rested it against Harry's chest, closing her watery eyes.

"Harry, what are… how did you find me here?" Cho asked him quietly. There was no sound of regret in her voice, but it more had the tone of relief.

"It doesn't matter." He said gently to her. "I'm here now. How's your mum?"

Cho hesitated for an instant, and seemed to ponder weather to answer, but she responded in a weak tone that her mother had stabilized, but not gotten better. Harry felt deep empathy for Cho_. What must it be like to have your mum suffer so much right in front of you?_ He thought. He hugged her tighter.

"Cho I have to talk to you about many important things. I have to tell you about… things that… can we talk now?" Harry asked running his hand through her raven black hair. Cho looked back in the direction that Harry had come, then to her trolley, then back to Harry.

My shift ends in three hours, then… I can meet you wherever you want. Harry released his arms from around Cho's waste, and pulled a piece of parchment and a quill from his pocket. He attempted to write something down, but the quill had no ink. He looked up at Cho." Do you know where I could find an ink bottle in this hospital?" He asked softly. Cho reached in her breast pocket, and pulled out a black and white plastic ballpoint pen. It didn't look as stylized as Harry's quill, but he knew that you didn't need an ink bottle to write with it. He took it from her, and started writing. When he finished, he handed the parchment to her. "This is the hotel where I'm staying, and the room number, but there's a small Café on the first floor. Meet me there. I'll be waiting for you in the corner booth." He said quietly. Cho nodded.

Harry put his hands on her shoulders, and looked deep into her eyes for a long moment.

"I meant what I said at the train station that day Cho… _I love you_." Harry said again. Cho tried to speak; she choked up at first, but after a moment composed herself. Breathing heavily, as if each intake of oxygen was a struggle, Cho looked up at Harry as more tears ran down her cheek. She lowered her eyes to the floor for a minute, and then looked up at Harry again. Her voice was shaky, but sincere, and as she spoke, Harry felt fresh tears of his own falling from his cheeks.

"_I… love you too Harry_."

"Three hours… then the Café?" Harry asked softly. Cho gave a slight smile, and nodded. Harry wanted to kiss her one more time, but knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to pull away from her again. He would have to wait the agonizing three hours for her to show up at the Café, but it would give him a chance to think about what to say, and what to ask… a chance to reflect on everything he wanted for her, for him, for the two of them together. _But what was she doing wearing a janitors uniform ._Harry pondered.

"Authors note: If anyone can get the chance you should buy the "Little Britain" series on DVD."


	65. Chapter 65

To all those who have supported me with your reviews, I am grateful. Sorry this took so long, I was in a bad place, still kind of am. An Emo forever, but I will now try and finish this story for you. I haven't written in a while, so I hope you will forgive the quality.

With sincere gratitude for you're kindness.

Cheers,

Highice007

**Chapter 65: Believe in me**

The boy looked around at his environment. The small café was quiet for the time of day it was, and most of the few people who did come in, passed the eating area altogether, hoping to get to the warm comfort of their rooms, and out of the sudden torrential downpour that had come on so sudden. The boy glanced out the window form his booth seat, and observed the strands of flowing water smacking against the pane. Outside was almost constantly shrouded in darkness, save for the illumination of several flashes of lightening that lit up night as day. Thunder cracked so loud outside that several car alarms were set off, and made the boy jump. For though he had faced worse than a short lightning bolt, his nerves were on edge from all the stress he had been through lately. He again scanned the room for something to do in his wait. The café was a modest, unassuming place. The walls were red with chipped paint, and adorned with old style adverts of alcoholic beverages, with men in tall hats, and women in bonnets holding parasols. The deco was very turn of the century nineteen hundreds style. One sign close to him advertised root beer, five gallons for five cents. Several tables and booths around him were set with paper mats, server ware, and small glass vases of fake flowers, but most were empty. Only three people had entered the café since Harry had arrived back from the florist with his single, long stem rose. He had jumped up in anticipation whenever he had seen the outer doors open, but been disappointed to see that no one was the person that he was hopping to walk through the door… the door he kept a constant watch on. Suddenly the door opened again, and Harry stood up eager to find the identity of the new arrival, but to his disappointment it was an elderly couple dressed in trench coats lightly doted with rain drops.

They shook the water off their respective umbrellas, and put them in the large basket in the vestibule, before moving on to be greeted by the hostess. Harry started to sit down in further disappointment, but was paused by a third figure who entered the vestibule next. Cloaked in a black hoodie that obscured their face, their hands pushed deep into the front pockets of the clothing article. Skin tight blue jeans and black converse completed the ensemble. The figure entered the room and began to look around the room as if searching for something, or someone. Feminine hands moved out of the front pocket and rose to remove the hood. Cho Chang's cheeks, rosy red from the cold, glowed brighter than all the lights in the café put together. Her beauty was breathtaking and Harry barely suppressed a tear from seeing something of such beauty.

"Over hear Cho!" he said in a soft voice, she turned to see him, and ran into his arms giving him a hug that seemed disproportionately strong for her small body, and thought it was hard for him to breath in that moment he relished the experience of being with Cho.

When she finally pulled away to look at him, tears were in her eyes. The two of them ran their hands through each others hair for a moment, and then kissed each other passionately. Harry could taste the salt from the streams that ran down Cho's eyes. They pressed their lips together for a long magical moment, and Harry finally put his head on Cho's shoulder, his breathing heavy. She still smelled of sweet vanilla. He closed his eyes for a moment getting lost in the warmth of the moment.

"Why are you crying Cho?" Harry asked with concern, afraid that her mum might have taken a turn for the worst. Cho put her mouth to his ear, and spoke, her voice choking a little.

"I'm… just so happy… to see you Harry." She said softly. Harry tightened his hug. H needed to hear that. His arms rubbed against her sides to warm her up, as she shook slightly from having been in the cold moments before. _Could this moment be real?_ He pondered intoxicated in the ecstasy of it all.

Harry gestured to the booth beside them with his hand.

"Please sit down Cho." He asked politely. They both sat in unison, and Harry handed her the single rose from the table. Cho's eyes lit up, and a fresh tear fell down one of them. She took the rose and inhaled its aroma, enjoying the beautiful fragrance. She looked at Harry again.

"Oh, Harry… it's beautiful. Thank you so much." Harry smiled back at her.

"So, this London weather… when I got here it was sunny out, and now it looks like the storm of the century. Pretty cold out?" Harry asked glancing out the window at the next flash of lightning. Cho smiled.

"Oh yes, see!" she said putting the back of her hand against Harry's cheek. He flinched at the icy touch, and Cho giggled. She had a genuine smile; the first time Harry had seen one on her in far too long. Harry then took her cold hand, and cupped his around it, to warm it, and to feel the softness of Cho's skin against his own again. Her smile grew ever wider, the widest he had seen it. Oh, moments like this were to live for. Harry gazed into Cho's eyes for a long moment without saying a word, enchanted by her features. She was becoming embarrassed, and her tan skin was becoming red and flush. She let out a soft giggle, not understanding what exactly he was seeing.

"What?" she asked in a soft angelic voice. Harry brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"I'm just admiring you're beauty. You don't know how much I've missed you." Cho put her other hand around Harry's, and tilted her head slightly.

"Awww, I've missed you too Harry. Terribly." She said honestly. The two spent another few moments gazing into each other's eyes, before Harry finally spoke.

"How have you been Cho?" he asked with sincere interest. Cho shrugged.

"Oh, you know… surviving." She said softly, her eyes lowering slightly.

"And how is your mum Cho? Is she getting better?" Harry asked softly. Cho was quiet for a second, no tears fell from her eyes, but that same sad look was coming back into them.

"She hasn't gotten any better Harry… the doctors are doing all they can. But two… surgeries really take a lot out of a person. She's unconscious often." She finished, now not looking at him directly, and looking disappointed for some reason.

"I see… I'm sorry. But, she hasn't gotten worse has she? I mean… the doctors have stabilized her right?" Harry asked trying to find some hope for Cho's mum in the situation. Cho nodded her head.

"Yes, she's stable. I see her every day before and after work, except Saturdays." She said. Harry nodded his head.

"I've been meaning to ask Cho… what is it exactly that you do at hospital?" Harry asked genuinely curious. Cho gave a slight smile.

"Well, like you saw today Harry… janitor, on morning shift. I mean I would have liked to have continued being a volunteer, but I need to make money to contribute to my family that I'm living with." Cho explained. Harry looked puzzled.

"You mean, the charge you rent to stay with them?" Harry asked.

"No, but I help with the groceries, and electric bills and things like that." Cho finished. Harry nodded his understanding, but had another question.

"Well that's ok, but why janitor. When I came looking for you I had asked them to look under Head Nurse, or at least nurse. I mean you must be qualified for a more prestigious job." Harry queried. Cho shook her head. I didn't finish school Harry. I couldn't get the full completion papers from Hogwarts, so… my employment options are rather limited." Cho admitted. Harry nodded.

For now I suppose, but when you come back after a time then you can remedy that." He added. Cho lowered her head, and it was a moment before she spoke.

"I'm never going back Harry. I… was a failure in Hogwarts. I just couldn't make it there. I'm not smart enough to make it in Hogwarts, let alone Ravenclaw. Anyway, I'm looking after mum now. That's where I belong." Cho finished. Harry nodded.

"Of coarse, for now you need to take care of you're mum, but you're mum will get better eventually, and then you can come back. I need you to come back eventually Cho." Harry said intently. Cho brushed her hand through Harry's messy hair.

"I think it's going to be a while before I would even have the opportunity to go there again Harry, and besides… you can't just come and go to Hogwarts as you please. A professor has to grant you a waver, to write a special letter allowing you back in. My marks in the past two years were too bad for that. But all of it is irrelevant to the fact that I'm going to be in England for the foreseeable future, and that's that." Cho said with finality. Harry's face had a sad look on it, and he gave a heavy sigh. Harry's expression then turned serious, and he looked into Cho's eyes with a pleading expression.

"Cho... I have a confession to make. I've been confined to a room in Hogwarts by the Ministry of Magic. I've been accused of… a lot of things that I didn't do." He finished. Cho's face turned to one of being bitterly upset.

"Has the Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet started telling lies about you again!" Harry shook his head.

"No. They are only going by what they see, and the evidence is pretty damming, as far as what people can see. You remember that people accused me of attacking Cindy Miggins, and threatening people?" Harry asked. Cho nodded without a word. "Yea, well… I didn't do any of it. Someone impersonated me using this." Harry continued producing the Polly-juice potion mixture that would allow him to become Ron Weasley again. Cho looked at the vile, and then back to Harry.

"Who is impersonating you Harry? And do they know that you have their potion?" Cho asked. Harry shook his head.

"No, this is mine. I had to escape Hogwarts disguised as a friend to come and see you. I had to tell you again all that was on my mind, and I had to convince you that what you're going to hear from the Government and papers is all made up about me. I had to give you my side of the story Cho. Because I want to clear my name eventually, but right now there are a very few people I need to believe in me, to trust me." Harry continued. He looked more intently into Cho's eyes, and lifted her chin with his palm to face him more directly. "Cho, you're one of those few people. I need you to trust me, no matter what you see, now matter what you hear, I need you to believe me despite all evidence against me." Harry pleaded, but did so in a monotone voice.

"Harry I've never doubted you. I've always stood by you, and I always will. Nothing could ever change that. Harry grabbed Cho's hands with his own. Her hands were warm now, and he brought them up to his lips to kiss them. They were soft, and gentle, and he wished that he could stay here with her for longer than his time allowed, and to a point he wished that he she would never know what he was about to tell her. He wished that he didn't have to tell her this awful thing. But it could wait no longer.

"Cho… have you heard any news from Hogwarts since you left?" he asked. Cho shook her head.

"No Harry. I expected friends to send me an Owl by now, but… I haven't heard anything from them. I suspect it's because of the censorship thing." Cho said. Harry nodded.

"Yes, I… Cho… they found Padma Patel after you left." Harry said in a nervous tone. Cho's face shown excitement.

"**They did! That's great!"** Cho shouted with excitement in her voice.

"Come again?" Harry asked surprised at Cho's joy.

"Where did she go off too, is she alright? Does she remember where she was all this time, or did she just run out on school?" Cho shot of quickly. Harry shook his head.

"No Cho, they… found her dead body." Harry said flatly. Cho let out a squeak as her hands covered the bottom of her face. And tears instantly shot out of her eyes instantly. Harry lowered his head. "I know, I'm sorry Cho." He said feeling grim. She started crying, and he wanted to go to the other side of the booth to hold her, but he needed to be across from her. He needed to look into her eyes, and have her look into his. Cho looked up at him barely able to breath.

"Hhh… how Harry?" Cho finally got out.

"A bogart. Someone took her down to a storage room took her wand and tied her to a chair. Then they lifted it right in front of a bogart and opened the cabinet where it was hiding. If she had had her wand, or could have just run she would have survived, but she… was tied up as I said." Harry said. Cho folded her arms on the table and then lay her head on them, a look of overwhelming grief on her face.

"What… what killed her? I mean… how… how did she die?" Cho asked. Harry wasn't sure she looked like she really wanted the answer, but he had to be brutally honest with her. "Well she was…" Harry began but was cut off by the waitress who arrived at their table.

"Can I get you both something?" she asked politely. She then glanced at Cho who had tears streaming down her eyes. "Is everything ok?" she continued. Harry nodded.

"Yes, a friend of ours has passed away." He said quietly. The waitress gasped.

"Oh, my… I'm terribly sorry." She apologized. Harry nodded.

"It's OK, uhhh some more tea and two glasses of water please." Harry requested. The waitress nodded, and left to the kitchen.

"How Harry?" Cho again requested when they were alone again. Harry gave a great sigh.

"A bogart becomes your worst nightmare… when it attacks you. Padma's worst nightmare… was a hornet, a swarm of them. They came flying out… and stung her to death. It was… "Harry trailed off shaking from the visual sight, and Cho muffled her cries in her hoodie hands. Her eye liner now ran down her cheeks as well. The remembrance of the event even brought a tear to Harry's eyes. He was sniffing, trying to keep from breaking down to tears, and yet pressing himself to go on. "And… they stung her to death Cho." He finished his voice breaking a little at the end. Cho wiped her eyes with the long sleeves of her hoodie. Cho fought to get out words, as her mouth moved; she could only speak in a whisper.

"Why Harry… why would someone want to do that to Padma? She's so nice, she didn't… have any enemies. She was so sweet to everyone." Cho cried out softly. Harry looked down, with a twinge of guilt.

"Cho… they did it to… to frame me for the murder. To make it look like I did it." Harry said. A look of confusion came over Cho's face, as Harry explained everything that had happened from his perspective of the events. About the body being found, the recreation of the events, Harry seeing himself killing Padma, Dumbledore's mistake in trying to zap Allen Miller with a memory charms the Ministry officials, that he was confined to Hogwarts while he awaited an escort to a cell in the Ministry, and finally how he and Ron Weasley had used Polly-juice potion so he could escape to see Cho. Cho looked in shock. For a long time she said nothing, her breathing was labored, and though she made not a sound an unending river of water poured down her cheeks. Finally she composed herself enough to talk. She looked at Harry with a determined face.

"What… what do you want me to do Harry. How do you want me to help you?" she asked sincerely. Harry cupped his arms around her face, and gave her a look between dead serious and pleading.

"I need you to _believe in me_ Cho. I _need_ you to believe I'm innocent. I didn't kill Padma, but I don't have any proof. I _need_ you to believe I'm innocent no matter what you see or hear. I _need_ to know that no matter what happens to me, that you're out there, and you haven't lost faith in me. Can you do that Cho?" Harry finished, and waited for her to respond. Cho paused a moment, and then nodded. She took a deep breath.  
"OK Harry. What do you want me to do to help you? Do I need to get in touch with anyone, or get you anything? How can I help?" Cho asked intently. Harry smiled.

"Just please do what I asked believe in me, that's enough. I know you need to take care of your mum. I'll find a way out of this. I just need to know you trust me." He finished. Cho nodded, and they both rose from the booth and embraced each other. She put her head on his shoulder, and the two stayed in a hugging embrace for what seemed like a near blissful eternity. Cho listening to the rhythm of Harry's heartbeat and Harry inhaling the intoxicating sent of vanilla that he always associated with Cho. They looked at each other and kissed, Harry tasting the salt from what must have been the several liters of Cho's tears that had been shed. When they pulled away Harry smiled at Cho.

"This could be the last time we see each other for a long while Cho." He said quietly. She frowned.

"I… hope not. I miss you… everyday." She admitted. Harry ran his finger through her hair, and smiled.

"And I you." Harry said honestly. He pulled out his pocket watch from his trousers, read it, and put it back. He then looked at Cho again. "I have to go soon. Ron's Polly-juice potion would have run out last night, and if anyone comes in the room… unexpectedly, they will be wondering where I am." Harry said. Cho nodded.

"Harry, who's doing this to you? Is it… is it… you know who?" Cho asked. Harry nodded his head.

"I can't imagine it's anyone else, but he has help from inside the school. Draco Malfoy, and I'm convinced your friend Marietta too." Cho scoffed. "Hump! She's _not_ my friend!" she said appalled at the idea. Harry giggled.

"I know, it was a figure of speech. Look, before I go I wanted to ask two things." Harry continued. Cho nodded. "Well actually three." Harry grabbed a paper napkin from the table that they had been setting at and handed it to Cho. "Have you got a quill and ink bottle?" He asked. Cho smiled and pulled a ballpoint pen out of the pocket of her blue jeans. "Can I have your number and address here in London so it will be easier to find you?" Cho nodded, and placed the napkin against the table for a solid surface. She quickly penned her name, address, home number, and new mobile phone number that she had just purchased. Harry looked quizzically at her.

"I thought those mobile phones were expensive?" he asked. Cho handed the napkin to him.

"Their getting cheaper. It's one of my few luxuries that I allow myself." Cho said softly. "What was the other thing that you needed?" She asked. Harry placed the note in his pocket, and looked at Cho with the most serious expression. I… I want to meet you mum before I go Cho." Two tears streamed down her eyes, and she gave him a tight hug. Harry returned the embrace, and wished that the two of them had more time together, but knew that fate had other plans. _We will be together on day Cho. I swear it. I will hold you in my arms again._


	66. Chapter 66: Every Heartbeat

Authors' note: Best when read while listening to Amy Grant's song "Every Heartbeat"

**Chapter 66: Every Heartbeat **

**Harry's POV:**

Harry and Cho had been standing over her mother's hospital bed for several minutes in silence. Mrs. Chi Chang was fast asleep, as she was so often, morphine dripping steadily from one of her IV bags. She was pale, rail thin, her hair bald and her unconscious face seemed to display a sense of agony under the oxygen mask even in sleep. The sheet covered the chest scared by two radical mastectomies, and Harry wondered why Cho and her family had agreed to take her from St. Mungoes to this place. _How could the wizarding world not offer her more than the Muggle one? _

Harry looked at Cho, her eyes as almost always were lowered, but no tears poured from her eyes. Instead she had a determined look on her face, as if she seemed to be trying to look strong for her mother, even if she couldn't see her daughters face.

"Is… is she ever awake Cho?" Harry asked. Cho nodded slowly.

"She is usually in pain, but the morphine… keeps her ok for a while, like a cheering charm. However… like Cheering charms it doesn't last and too much of it makes her groggy. Cho stood there another minute quietly, her left hand in her hoodie pocket as it had been so often since Harry had first seen her today. She looked up at Harry, an unreadable expression in her eyes. "Harry, I'm going to wake mum up. I want her to meet you. I want… you two to meet each other, face to face. Harry nodded.

"Well, perhaps just for a moment." He said. Cho shook her mother's shoulder gently, and whispered softly in her ear.

"Mum, wake up. Please wake up." Chi's eyes, opened slowly. It seemed to take her eyes a moment to adjust. When she recognized her daughter, she began speaking to her softly in Chinese. Cho also responded in her mother's native tong. The words were spoke at quick pace, and Harry believed that even in he had a basic understanding of the language he wouldn't have been able to follow the rapid pace of the conversation. But despite the quick pace, the language had a pleasant tone that flowed gently, and he suddenly hoped to be able to hear Cho speak it to him one day.

One thing Harry noticed about Cho's mum, was that one she was awake and looked at her daughter, her eyes, seemed to have a bright shine about them, and a wide smile could be seen under the oxygen mask. Her mother's tone was pleasant, while Cho's was on the edge of sad, but not as sad as she usually sounded. It seemed that Cho was trying to sound stronger for her sake. Finally Harry managed to catch his name in Cho's softly spoken Chinese, as she glanced to him. Her mum lifted herself up by her arm slightly.

"Harry Potter?" she asked excited. Harry wondered what her mum had been reading about him in the paper this year. There were beginning to be some bad things, just like the previous one, and in that year Cho's parents had warned her to not get on Professor Umbridge's bad side. Would they approve of him being here, and did the Wizarding world even know about his confinement in a Hogwarts holding room? Chi Chang, looked Harry over for a moment, her face turned to one unreadable by him. He felt nervous. _This is Cho's mum, I want her to think well of me. It means something for her to like me, to be OK with Cho and I being together. _

Suddenly, another smile came across her face, and she grabbed Harry's hand. In heavily accented, but clearly understandable English she spoke to Harry, her tone happy.

"Mr. Potter, it is a pleasure to meet you. I never thought that I would have the privilege. It's an honor to meet you." Mrs. Chang said in a pleasant tone. Harry smiled back.

"It's great to meet you too Mrs. Chang. How… how are you feeling? I mean are you doing better?" Harry asked nervous still at meeting Cho's mum.

"Oh, yes… better. Maybe soon, they nurses will take this annoying mask off me even. I'm sure I don't even need it anymore. I expect to get out of this bed in not too long also." She smiled warmly.

"That would be great. I know that these muggle doctors will soon have you cured." He looked around the room. "It must get quite boring round here." Harry said in a moment of absent reflection.

"**Harry?!"** Cho said in shock. Harry brought his hands up to his mouth. There I go again, always putting my foot in my mouth. But Chi giggled softly.

"Hee, hee, hee, well actually it can, but I have a telly, and it's given me a chance to find out about an interesting muggle sport that I plan to take up when I get better. Tennis. Have you heard of this muggle sport Mr. Potter?" she asked joyfully. Harry nodded.

"Oh, yes. In the UK the muggles have some of the best tennis players in the world. It looks a fun sport, but I've never played it." Harry said frankly.

Chi chuckled lightly again.  
"Well I've been trying to get my daughter interested in the game. I've been trying to get her to go and practice. She will need it, when I get better. You… see. I'm going to really beat her in the sport." Chi then gave a sigh, and her look became more serious, as she looked over at Cho.

"Of course, that was something I wanted her to start after she finished school. After she was the fist Chang to go to Hogwarts. But now, she constantly waits on me hand and foot, every day, when we have plenty of nurses to do that. Now my daughter, though I love her so, makes me sad by quitting school to be a janitor. Cho's face became sadder looking, and she spoke back in quite protest.

"Mum, I couldn't stay away any longer. It was killing me. And I took the janitor job so that I could be near you, and earn money for the family. There's nothing wrong with being a janitor. It's an important job, and there are good people whom I work with." Cho said softly.

Her mother's voice rose ever so slightly, and became more authoritative, she began speaking to her daughter in Chinese again, leaving Harry feeling a bit embarrassed at his lack of any language other than English.

**Cho's POV **

"Cho, there is nothing wrong with being a janitor if you're comfortable with the job, and if you don't have other opportunities. But we both know that you want more than that. You have the opportunity to become anything in the wizarding world. If you were a squib you could make a great living here in the muggle world, like your Uncle, and we would be proud of you. But you have the gift of magic, and _you waste it_. You waste it on haunting me every day. Haunting me, and cleaning the floors of this hospital when you are capable of so much more." Chi said upset. It seemed that they argued this every time she was awake. Chi would try desperately to get Cho to return to her school, and Cho would protest that her place was with her mum.

"What do you mean I haunt you? I'm taking care of you, that's what I should be doing, that's what I should have been doing all along. I can't bear to be away when you're sick like this!" Cho said, tears welling in her eyes, and both their voices grew louder. Chi rubbed her head groggily, the IV tubes visible in her arms, as she did.

"Cho Chang, I have an entire hospital of qualified doctors and nurses to look after me. They take good care of me, and yet you still hover over me trying to do their job, like you were a nurse or a healer. Well your not, and you never going to have a good future unless you finish school. This is a great country, best country in the world, and you waste the opportunities that you have. You're father and I came all the way from China here with not much, and we were able to make a very good living here. We wanted to give you every opportunity to be successful in your life. Now look, your throwing it all away. I'm disappointed in you Cho. _**You embarrass me!" **_Chi finished in a shout. Cho's blood boiled in frustration.

"**Why can't you see I just want to help you? I was away at school. There was no mail coming in, and I could almost never call. It was killing me. I wasn't any good at magic anyway. I'm supposed to be here." **Cho shouted upset. She glanced back at Harry who seemed lost and confused. Cho was glad that he didn't speak Chinese.

Chi sat up in her bed, pulled off the oxygen mask and started to yell at Cho between gasping breath.

"**Don't give me that crap! You were one of Professor Flitwicks best students before your fifth year… **gasp…** he knew your potential, and so do… **gasp…** I. You need to get back to school now and finish!" **

"**Mum put you're oxygen mask back on!" **Cho shouted upset. **"Look I…" **Cho was about to continue, but was cut off by an enraged voice behind her shouting over both her and her mother.

"**What the bloody hell is going on here? The whole hospital can here the shouting in this room!" **Cho turned around to face the head nurse of the floor, a fortyish woman with short black hair. One of her arms was bent with her hand on her waste, the other held a clip board. Her eyes bore into Cho, and her mum.

"Chang! I might have known. You and your mum spend enough time arguing over school. Well I told you before to keep your bickering down to where the other patients cannot hear it. Cho, Mrs. Chang may be your mother, but she is my patient, and you will not keep upsetting her, and Mrs. Chang… put that oxygen mask back on for god's sake. Cho seemed too slunk down, and Chi lay back down, and reaffixed the mask, gasping deep breaths of the liquid oxygen into her lungs. It seemed she was not quite ready to play tennis yet. The head nurse, looked over Cho and Harry for a moment as if trying to decide something. Finally she gave a great sigh.

"Alright you two, out. Mrs. Chang needs rest, not stress." Chi slightly rose again.

"Nurse, I need to speak with the child for just a few minutes in private. It's important. Chi protested in English. The nurse rolled her eyes.

"Very well. Sir, come with me." She motioned to Harry. Harry began to move to the door, but stopped when Chi Chang next spoke.

"No, I mean I need to speak to Mr. Potter. Could you please escort my daughter out into the hall?" Chi asked politely. Cho and the Head Nurse gave each other surprised looks, but the she put her hand on Cho's back and guided her out of the room, and closed the door, leaving Chi to speak to Harry in private.

**Harry's POV: **

Chi motioned Harry closer to her. He took a few steps forward, and she leaned close to him.

"Mr. Potter. I just wanted to think you for what you do at the Ministry of Magic last year, against You-Know-Who. We were all very proud of you. Also… sorry to say that it was such confusion to us about last year." Chi finished in heavily accented English.

"Con… confusion?" Harry asked, unsure of what she meant.

"Yes Mr. Potter. The papers. How they were saying you were untrue, and then the government. The Ministry of the United Kingdom. It made us doubt… well except for Cho. I didn't want her to be around you… you see. I thought that… it might be true about you last year. But Cho she… she not believe the papers, or government. Now I know. I am proud of you. You so brave, and I'm glad that my daughter have such a good friend, even when you not famous, when you were thought of as bad last year she say such good things about you. And she was right the entire time. So I wanted to say thank you for saving the world from You-Know-Who." Harry blushed.

"Well, actually it was my mum. You see she put a love protection spell on me. That's what defeated Voldemort." Mrs. Chang shook nervously in her bed at the name of the dark lord, and Harry instantly regretted it. "I mean… **You-Know-Who!" **Harry blurted out. Chi nodded.

"Yes, but Mr. Potter, you yourself have defeated You-Know-Who last year. That was all you, was it not?" Mrs. Chang asked.

"Actually, I had a lot of help from my friends. They were fighting the death eaters too. I couldn't have done it by myself." Harry said wanting to give full credit to Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna, he couldn't mention the order members. Chi nodded again.

"Yes, well you were also very important in the defeat. The papers say this is true." she said. Harry nodded lightly.

"Yes. I helped." Harry said. Chi adjusted herself in her bed for a second, and then looked pleadingly at Harry.

"Mr. Potter. I wanted to talk to you in private because I wanted to ask you a favor. Please excuse, but I would like you to help me." Harry smiled and nodded. Sure, what can I do for you Mrs. Chang?" Harry asked. She smiled back at him.

"You are my daughter's friend… she really like you, respect you. I need you to… to convince her to go back to school. She is nice to stay here to take care of me, but she can do nothing right now. Her education is very important right now. I want to know she will be successful. Hogwarts is one of the most prestigious schools in the Magic world. Please convince her to go back. She no listens to me. She stays here to make me happy, and I'm glad to see her. But her finishing school at Hogwarts makes me most happy. But she feels she will die without taking care of me. This is wonderful hospital. Great doctors, nurses, and volunteers! I will be in good hands, as I have been. I want to see my daughter finish school. She has been a poor student last year, and this, but she has potential. She was a top student before last year. One of the best! But she now cannot concentrate, and is getting bad marks. She needs to finish school. Please talk to her. Please make her go back." Chi finished, a sad look coming over her face. Harry lightly clasped her hand in both of his.

"Mrs. Chang… I will talk to Cho and try to convince her to come back. I want to see her again more than anything. I've been asking her to come back once your better, but she isn't interested in finishing school anymore. She thinks she's bad at magic. But I taught her some spells and she did learn them. You're right. She can be a good student, and she is smarter than she gives herself credit for, but she has no confidence in herself. But _I promise you_ that I'll talk to her about coming back. I want her to come back finished school so bad." Harry emotionally confessed. Chi nodded, but a look of confusion was on her face, as if there was something she didn't understand.

"Mr. Potter… your passion for my request is very… deep. Are you and my daughter dating?" Chi asked surprised. Harry frowned.

"I don't know. I came back to see her, but I'm going away for a time. I don't know when I can come back. I want to be her boyfriend, but things get complicated." Chi smiled, and her eyes watered a bit, but they did not have the sad look that Cho's eyes did so often.

"Mr. Potter. I would be proud if Cho were going out with you. I know your nice boy. That would also make me very happy, knowing that she has someone that would make_ her_ so happy. I thank you for…" Chi tried to finish but was interrupted by a voice from behind Harry.

"All right times up. Mrs. Chang needs her rest." Harry turned to see the Head Nurse standing behind him with a clipboard under one arm, and gesturing Harry to get out with the other.

Harry turned to Mrs. Chang one more time, with a serious look on his face.

"I'll talk to Cho about going back I promise. But I want to ask a favor of you if I may." Harry pleaded. Chi smiled and nodded.

"What would you ask of me Mr. Pot… err I mean Harry?" Chi asked concerned. Harry paused for a minute, took a deep breath, and spoke.

"Please don't go by what the Ministry or the papers say about me. Positive or negative, if you want to know the truth, ask me. And if… if I can't be available, ask Cho. I'll tell her everything. Chi nodded.

"Very well Harry. It been an honor to meet you. I would like to see you again sometime. It has been a pleasure talking to you." Chi finished. Harry nodded, smiled, and let go of her hand, and walked out the door where Cho was waiting with a confused look on her face. Harry put his arm around hers and walked down the hall with her. The sun was disappearing behind the horizon, and he needed to catch a cab. Cho was sitting against the wall, on the floor of the corridor, her knees up to her chest, and gloved hands holding them tightly, sad eyes, as almost always lowered to the ground. When she was aware of Harry she raised her head. Harry reached out a hand to help her up, and he could tell that she had been shedding a few tears.

Cho looked up to him looking as if she wanted to ask a question. He looked into her chocolate brown eyes, with the forever sad look wondering if it was a trait inherited from her father, and spoke.

"I'll tell you everything one the way. I have to head back to school soon, or I'll be missed, and Ron Weasley will having to explain why I'm not there, and he is.

Cho nodded her understanding. "Give me a minute. I have to freshen up first." Cho said, as she walked into the floors girls' lavatory."

**Alternating POV's:**

Cho flushed the toilet, and walked to the sink running the cool water over her hands, and repeatedly pushing the device to pour liquid soap into her hands, having already placed her gloves in her pocket upon entering. After a through scrubbing she rinsed them and then splashed some water into her face. She then reached in the purse, and took out her eyeliner. She was feeling dark and depressed after the fight with her mother, and she applied her eyeliner to reflect that; the darkest black, deep all around. She stepped back to take a full look at herself in the mirror. She didn't like what she saw. _**Failure! **_She thought to herself._ I can't do anything right. I just wanted to help her, and I can't. Just like I just wanted to help Harry and I can't. I'm no good to anyone. Why can't I do something right just once. Why do I have to be the biggest screw up? _Upset she squeezed her eyeliner pencil until the pressure caused it to snap in her hand. Cho peered into her own mirrored eyes, and shouted at her image**. "I hate you!"** She yelled tossing the eyeliner pencil at the image. It bounced off the mirror and fell to the floor in its two pieces. Cho took out a comb, and moved her hair partially over her face for a second. No, she thought. I've got to try and be in a good mood when I'm with Harry. She fixed her hair back to reveal her full face, and pushed open the door to the corridor, where Harry was waiting for her. They walked to the lift in silence, and when they reached the first floor Cho stopped to borrow an umbrella from a co-worker.

The two of then walked out the A&E entrance of hospital they looked up. It was dark outside, the sun had disappeared below some flats to their west as they stepped out, and only a faint glow from it remained in the sky, patching through cumulonimbus cloud formations above, that were a shade of very dark grey. It had stopped pouring, but a light drizzle was still dropping on them. The cold of the day also hit them both quickly, and Cho reached into her pocket to get her gloves. As she began to put them on Harry noticed a large scar on her left hand. Instinctively he grabbed her wrist and brought it to his eyes.

"**Hey!" **Cho shouted. But Harry was transfixed on the damage to her hand.

"What's this Cho?!" Harry asked examining the wound that had been healed, but had left a visible mark. Cho pulled her hand out of Harry's grasp, and put it in the hoodie pocket.

"It's nothing. It's just a… a cut. It's held up now." Cho said.

"How did you get it? It looks like you did it some time ago; I can't believe I just noticed." Harry said confused.

"I was wearing gloves all day, and it was some time ago, so don't worry about it." Cho said.

"But the scar, even if you didn't have you're wand you could have gone to Madam Pomfrey or St. Mungoes and had a healer fix it to where their was no scar. Cho looked as if she were searching for something to say, searching for an explanation.

"I… I got it after I left Hogwarts. I didn't have time to go to St. Mungoes. I had to see mum. They took care of it at hospital." Cho said hoping that that would be enough for Harry.

"You let muggles take care of your wound? Why did you choose a muggle hospital over a wizarding one?" Harry asked. Cho rolled her eyes.

"Harry, forget about it. It's no big deal. I'm ok now." Cho said slightly irritated. The muggle doctors did a very good job of healing it. I have full articulation, and there's no pain. I just waited too long to go to St. Mungoes for it but it's no big deal." Cho finished. She looked around.

"Where too now?" she asked.

"I just have to grab my broom from my hotel room and pay my bill. Then… I'm back to Hogwarts." Harry said in a monotone. Cho's eyes lowered for a moment, and then she looked up at Harry.

"Harry, what happens to you when you get back?" Cho asked worried. This time it was Harry's turn to lower his eyes.

"I… I don't know. I'm going to switch back with Ron when I get back, but…" Harry trailed off. Cho took his hand in hers, and put her head on his shoulder. Harry put his left arm around her waste, and the two walked in silence toward the hotel.

"What did mum want to talk to you about?" Cho asked. Harry glanced at her.

"She wanted to thank me for what I did at the Ministry, and she wanted to ask me to convince you to go back to Hogwarts." Harry finished. Cho nodded.

"Yea, I knew she might try and do that. She doesn't understand that I'm trying to help her. She doesn't understand also what it's like to be stuck in Hogwarts with no word from your family. The mail is so late in coming, and the phone lines at Hogsmead are so long that the township had started rationing out minutes last time I went. I can't stand to be away from her anymore. I know I can't do much to help here even when I am here, but at least I can be close to her. At least if she ever needs anything from me I can be here. She was even keeping her condition from me and made my father promise not to say anything about it either. He did finally write me a letter, but it was like weeks later that he decided to write, and that was held up because of the censorship of the mail. Harry you just don't know how it feels when people you love keep things from you like that. Harry held her tighter.

"Trust me Cho, I might have more experience with that, than you might think." He said frankly. "I know you need to wait until you mum gets better, and I know that that may be a while. I even know that a big part of my wanting you to come back it personal greed on my part, because I want to be close to you. Though, it's also because like you mum, I know that you can be anything you want to be Cho. I know you're smart. I know that you've just had a bad couple of years, but it can get better. Look Cho, I… don't even know if I'm going to be able to finish school this year, but… but I want you to know that… that you should still go back, for yourself." Harry said with all sincerity. Cho then gave a heavy sigh. I just don't see the point. Hogwarts is for students who are good in magic. I think it must have been a mistake that I ever had powers. I'm not very good with them. I was probably the worst student in your class. I'm the worst student in every class." Cho said in a depressed tone.

"That's not true Cho. You were able to stun people well; you were one of the first students to produce a patronice. You can do anything; you just have to keep at it. Besides, even if you never do magic again, which would be a shame, you need to finish school." Harry finished. Cho looked at him confused.

"Why if I'm not going to do magic anymore do I need it?" Cho asked.

"Why are you a janitor right now?" he asked.

"It keeps me close to mum, and it lets me help out with the bills, and even gives me a little spending money." Cho said a little defensively.

"True, but there are other jobs at hospital that don't require a collage degree, jobs that pay a little more, and that you would probably like more. Why not take one of them?" Harry asked.

"Because you have to have papers saying that you finished school, and… oh. I see. I had other problems at school Harry. I don't know, I think I'm just trying to get away from a lot of things at Hogwarts for a while is a big part of the truth of it." Cho said. Harry held her hand and brought it to his beating heart.

"From me?" He asked softly, a tone of fear in his voice. She looked up at him, and brushed her hand against his face.

"At first… but… you've never left my thoughts. Leaving you is something I've regretted since I stepped on that train. If you are going to still be there, than maybe I'll comeback someday when mum is better, but if you're not even going to be there I have no reason to return. I'll just go to a muggle school and finish there." Cho finished. Harry looked at his watch, he was running out of time, they had to get back to the hotel soon. He put his arm around Cho, and they began to walk in silence to the front desk of the hotel.

~*~

Harry took one last look around his hotel room making sure that he hadn't forgotten anything. He then stood in front of Cho, put both hands gently to her neck and drew in to give her a passionate kiss. As the kiss went on, he moved his arms to embrace her in a hug, and she did the same. Once the two had finally pulled away from each others lips, Harry brushed Cho's cheek with his hand, and look seriously into her eyes.

"I love you Cho, I love you with every fiber of my being." Ha said softly. Cho squeezed him tighter, and put her head on his chest.

"I love you too Harry. I'm sorry about everything. How it's turned out. I've missed you everyday. But no matter what happens, I will always love you. I want to be your girlfriend. I thought I could forget about you when I left Hogwarts, but you're with me in every heartbeat." Cho said sincerely.

"You know Cho, I want more than anything to take you to that bed and make passionate love to you all night, to be one with you, to hold your soft naked body in my arms and gaze into your eyes all night. Cho raised her head to look at him, her eyes again filled with tears. She looked into his eyes, and over to the bed. She was nervous, but she looked back into Harry's eyes.

"I… I'm yours… I'll do anything for you…" Cho said. Harry started to cry softly and he put his head on her shoulder now. I would give anything for it, but the fates are cruel to us, and I have to go now. It's not fair. I want to love you right now, if only I had the time I would, but loving you is something that I don't want to rush. I want to enjoy the ecstasy of being together. I need to know Cho… will you wait for me? I don't know how long all this craziness at the Ministry will take. How long I'll be in a cell, or if Dumbledore can find some evidence to keep me free. It could be months." Harry said. Cho cupped Harry's head with her hands.

"Harry… you don't belong in prison. Maybe you should run. Or maybe you can hide here in the muggle world. I'll get a flat that we can share, we can be together. I can't bear the idea of you rotting in prison. I know you're innocent. You could…" Cho continued desperately trying to think of a way to help Harry, but he cut her off.

"No Cho… I want to be with you more than anything, but I have to prove my innocence. I can't be on the run all my life. I know that… I can find some proof. I just have to have my friends get word to their parents. Have to find out how to uncover the dark magic that is making me look guilty. I don't know how, but the members of the Order will prove I'm innocent." Harry said determined. Cho gave him a confused look.

"What order?" Cho asked. _Ooopps! _Harry thought. "Errr, nothing, just a group of my friends parents that believe in my innocence." Harry brushed the palm of his hand against her soft cheek. It's was beginning to warm up. He noticed the dark eyeliner around her eyes.

"Going a little heavy on the dark makeup, new style?" He teased her lovingly. Cho slightly lowered her head.

"Oh, yea. I guess." Cho said softly. Harry kissed her forehead.

"Come on baby, I have to go." He said in a gentile tone. The nickname touched Cho, and a smile came across her face, and she turned to the door, and she and Harry put their arms around each other. The two walked down to pay the bill, and then walked a few blocks down to a quite alleyway behind a warehouse. When they were out of sight Harry turned to look at her, and gave a deep sigh. "I guess this is… it." He tried to sound confident, but choked at the end. Cho's eyes ran rivers, she held on to him as if she would never see him again.

"Harry… what can I do? How can I help you?" She cried.

"I don't… just wait for me Cho. Maybe I can send a letter from Hogwarts." Harry said. Cho shook her head, and pulled something out of her purse.

"No… it takes too long for that. She put something into Harry's hand. "Hear take my mobile phone. I'll get a second line. I'll be able to call you on this." Cho said confidently. Harry frowned.

"Cho, phones, even mobile phones don't work at Hogwarts." He said sadly. Cho hugged him even tighter.

"You'll find a way Harry. I know you'll find a way." Cho said softly. She with drew from him and produced a ballpoint pen, and some paper, and started writing numbers down. Cho then handed them to Harry. "This is the number to this phone. This is the number to hospital, and this is the number to my uncle's house. I'll call you as soon as I can with another mobile phone number as soon as I get one." Cho said. Harry looked down at the paper, and then back at Cho.

"How will I pay the bill?" he asked. Cho put her hand in his.

"I'll take care of it. Just keep it on you at all times. Promise me?" she demanded. Harry nodded. Harry pulled her back to him and shared one more, long tear flavored kiss with Cho.

"I love you." He finished when he pulled away, putting the mobile in his pocket. Cho gave him a rare smile that helped to warm him in the cold drizzle.

"And I you… and I will wait for you as long as it takes Harry." Cho promised. She put her hand to his heart to feel the beat, and brought his hand to her breast so that he could feel hers. Perhaps she was imagining it, but it felt to her as if their beating hearts were in perfect sync. "With every heart beat I love you Harry." All had been said, Harry mounted his broom, and shot up into the night on his way back to Scotland, while Cho began a slow walk back to the bus station, both hearts were hurting, but the day had given them both hope for a future together.


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter 67: Planning Potters Death**

Through the cold blistering Scottish night he flew his Firebolt, winds biting at his face, hands shaking from the cold, and he regretted not buying a pair of gloves while he was in London. From time to time he had to stop to warm up his frost covered glasses under his coat. The cold chilled him so much that he felt excessively sleepy. Was hypothermia setting in? Had he a wand he could have given himself a warming spell. It wouldn't have lasted long, but would have insured against hypothermia and frost bite, and made the trip much shorter. He needed to make it to the castle before dawn, before the sun came up, and it would be much more difficult to enter the grounds without being seen. How long had he been flying anyway, he wondered to himself. With all the stops to try and warm up it had taken quite some time. Every late night petrol station, or all hours café found him stopping in for coffee just to have a chance to recover from the freezing conditions. But the places to stop were now becoming few and far between, as he approached the Scottish Highlands. Soon he would be at Hogwarts, and as soon as he arrived back into his room he would wrap himself in the blankets like a cocoon, and get some well deserved rest.

~*~

One hour and two stops later Harry was now in the Highlands and the castle was in sight, just a mile ahead. A warm room with a soft pillow and warm blankets, and deep, deep sleep. _Sleep_ Harry thought drowsily. He put his broom into a slight dive towards the Gryffindor tower, his plan to knock on the window to gain access. He was now only a few meters from the window of his dorm room, almost there. Suddenly he stopped dead, zapped by a tremendous shock of electricity as blue lightning sparked all around him, his body shook uncontrollably, and he began to fall. He and his broom began spiraling down to earth, with no wand to make a cushioning blow; he was almost doomed to hit the ground with a fatal _**splat! **_He grabbed for his broom falling beside him, and mounted it just in time to stop mere centimeters above the ground. It took a moment to recover from the shock, but he did.

Harry then remembered that you could not fly into Hogwarts without permission. And lately he guessed that there had been extra security measures in place to keep Voldemort and his Death Eaters out. He would have to wait until morning. It was going to be Saturday and the students would be let out for a Hogsmead trip. He could walk through the front gate when it was opened. He just had to wait. Wait in the cold, no wand, or lighter or matches to make a fire. Wait in the cold for morning light. At sometime in the night Harry passed out.

**~*~**

Harry awoke to voices of other students exiting the castle he was leaning against a tree, out in the open where they would soon be able to see him. Harry was numb all over, the voices of his fellow students were blurred, as if he were hearing them in slow-motion. They would be upon him soon, and he would have to explain why he was out of his holding room if he didn't use the Polly-juice potion soon. Harry fumbled to open his coat, but he could not manage it easily. He could not feel his hands, and to his horror his fingers had become very stiff, as if frozen. He fumbled for the bottle of potion and attempted to open it. He couldn't. Harry then concentrated on the bottle, focusing on it with all his might. The lid began to unscrew through his sheer willpower, finally popping off into his lap. Harry put the bottle to his lips, put his head back and turned it upside down to let the liquid inside flow down his throat so that he could again take on the persona of Ron Weasley. However… nothing happened. Harry then slightly stuck his tong down the bottle, feeling Ice on its tip. Great! He thought, Frozen Polly-juice potion. _I didn't even know it could freeze. _He thought bitterly to himself. He could barely remove the bottle from his lips because they had nearly frozen to it. He started to pass out again as Neville Longbottom, and some other students came over to him.

"Harry?! Are… are you ok?" Neville asked. Harry never had a chance to answer him, as he slipped into unconsciousness.

~*~

Marietta, Allen Miller and two prefect boys accompanied Mr. Smith down the corridor that led to the room that was guarded by Mr. Primfold. They walked with intent, irritated expressions on their faces. Mr. Primfold looked up very surprised to see an angry look on Mr. Smith, and Mr. Millers face.

"Daffed, what's going on?" he asked curious. Mr. Smith pointed to the door of the holding room, and angry scowl on his face.

"Gordon is anyone in there with the boy?" he asked through gritted teeth. Primfold nodded.

"Yes, that Granger girl came to visit him about fifteen minutes ago." Marietta smiled to herself. _**Gotcha! **_She thought happily. It's going to be a wonderful day.

"Give me the keys, Gordon." Mr. Smith ordered. Gordon Primfold fumbled for the keys, as Mr. Smith turned to Allen Miller. Miller, knock on the door, and tell them to come out." He said. Marietta blocked Miller before he could reach the door. She turned to the door raising her wand.

"Why give them the advanced notice?" she said without looking back to anyone.

"**Distructo!" **She shouted, and blew away the part of the door with the lock, causing the door to swing open into the room. Marietta advanced first followed by Miller, Smith and the others. A shocked Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger sat up in the bed, both shirtless, Hermione holding the sheet over her breast. They had looks of shock on their face. Marietta noticed two sets of clothes on the floor next to them. Perhaps the shirts were not the only things they weren't wearing. Weasley glanced at something on the night stand and threw himself over Hermione Granger to try and grab it.

"Don't touch that Polly juice-potion Mr. Weasley. We already have Mr. Potter in custody, and we know your plan. You're both under arrest." Mr. Smith said pointing an accusing finger at the two. The faces of the two students were a mix of horror and embarrassment, and it caused Marietta's smile to widen.

"Please sir… we can explain… Hermione Granger said with eyes that were beginning to water. Ron reached down to get their clothes off the floor, but Marietta drew her wand, said a curse, and shot a wooden arrow from her wand and into the pile of cloths. Ron threw himself backwards on the bed.

"**What the bloody hell was that for?"** Ron asked.

"**Miss Edgecombe, have you gone insane?"** Mr. Smith asked shocked. Marietta turned to him with an innocent face, and spoke.

"Sorry Mr. Smith, I thought he was going for his wand. I mean didn't you say they were helping Potter? Didn't they help him to escape, a dangerous criminal like him?" Marietta asked in a sweet voice, so very much not like her character. Mr. Smith put his hand on her arm and lowered it. He turned to his associate, Mr. Primfold.

"Gordon… take their wands and Polly-juice potion before they get dressed." He said sternly. Gordon walked over and retrieved the items, putting them in his pocket, and returned behind Mr. Smith.

"**I was just trying to get out clothes. What the hell?" **Ron yelled angrily.

"Mr. Weasley as soon as we have your wand I assure you that no one will try that again." Mr. Smith said and then turned to Marietta. "Miss Edgecombe, try not to be so quick with the curses, we had you prefects come here to assist an arrest, not blast the suspects. And no one has been found guilty of anything… yet, so until they are don't make such clams against them. Marietta nodded her understanding. Mr. Smith looked back at Ron and Hermione. "Alright Mr. Weasley, you get dressed. Marietta, leave the room, no need to have a girl present while he is changing." Marietta spun around and started for the door, listening to Mr. Smith on the way out. "Miss Granger, you stay put, Professor McGonagall will be called to watch you change. Hermione nodded sheepishly, but Ron was fuming, his face matching the color of his hair.

"**Why does anyone have to watch us change? Why can't you give us a moment of privacy?"** Ron yelled hatefully. Marietta reached the door, but paused for a moment to listen to the conversation further.

"Mr. Weasley you have proven yourself undeserving of privacy. And we need to make sure you two don't have any weapons and other things to create more mischief." Mr. Primfold put in.

"**I don't have any weapons of other things to create mischief!" **Ron said bitterly.

"Well, I'm not about to take your word for it. Now get dressed!" Marietta watched Mr. Smith take a pair of iron hand restraints out of his pocket. He then looked back at her. "Miss Edgecombe, I asked you to leave while Mr. Weasley gets dressed, kindly do so." He said in an irritated tone. Marietta nodded and left the room, a smile on her face at the idea of Hermione Granger in irons.

~*~

Harry began to wake from his deep slumber, his pillow was soft, and the blankets over him were warm. Crust filled his eyes, and he attempted to bring his hand up to rub it away. But his wrist felt a sudden jerk, and he could not bring it all the way up. He sat up in bed and brought his other hand to rub his eyes. He looked around; he was in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey talking to Mr. Smith to his left with their backs to him. His fingers were moist, and covered with bandages. He also found that his left wrist was chained to the bed with an iron hand restraint. _This isn't good. _He thought to himself. He looked over at Mr. Smith. _Might as well let him know I'm awake. _

"Mr. Smith." Harry called. Both he and Madam Pomfrey turned to him and walked over. Apart from the two of them he was the only person in the hospital room. Mr. Smith looked at him with an angry glare.

"What's going to happen to me sir? Will I get a chance to explain why I tried to leave? A chance to tell my side of the story?" Harry asked groggily.

"We put your two accomplices under Veritaserum potion. The already admitted about how you were going to see your girlfriend, and were planning on coming back after you were done. I suspect that's what you were trying to do last night. Wait until morning when the gates would be open. That's enough to clear you of an escape attempt, but your still in big trouble. You were ordered not to leave that room, and going to see your lover is no excuse to disobey Ministry orders, particularly since you've been held there for suspicion of commission of a crime, of murder no less. More charges will be added to the ones already against you."

Harry's eyes lowered, and he spoke softly.

"What… what about my friends? What about them. If you gave them Veritaserum potion than you know that they knew I was coming back, they…"

"They broke the law, and helped you escape from Ministry custody. You have put them in serious trouble. I could have them sent to a juvenile facility for a year." Mr. Smith cut in.

"No sir, please." Harry pleaded. "It's my fault; I made them do it, I…"

"No Mr. Potter, we have our proof from the results of the Veritaserum and found them to be willing accomplices to your crime." Harry began to softly cry. "However Mr. Potter, as they are under age, and as they perhaps didn't really believe that you were attempting to escape, and as we have had several request for leniency from the staff. I've decided to leave the punishment up to the school board. Not, your head Master. He's been far too lenient on students in the past from what I've heard. It will be a council of teachers of the school, with the Head Master not involved. Both your friends may be expelled permanently." Mr. Smith finished. Harry began sobbing uncontrollably at the trouble he had gotten his friends into. "Expelled! Oh god no, what have I done? This can't be happening."

"You Mr. Potter have bigger things to worry about then that. You're escape from this castle weather you intended to return or not, shows that your not taking your confinement seriously, and as soon as you get over your frost bite which should be the day after tomorrow, were taking you to a cell in the Ministry of Magic, something we should have done much sooner I think." Mr. Smith finished. Harry looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

"Can… can I see my… friends again one more time before…" He began but was cut off.

"No, Mr. Potter, you've already proven that you can't be trusted with that." Mr. Smith said angrily.

"Well can I see Dumbledore…" Harry began, but again was cut off.

"No Mr. Potter, no more visitors. Madam Pomfrey will see to you healing, and Wednesday evening, we will be off.

"Wednesday?! I thought you said the day after tomorrow?" Harry asked confused.

"That is Wednesday, Mr. Potter. You've been unconscious for three days, part of the healing medicine for your frost bite, and part from exhaustion and hypothermia, so Madam Pomfrey tells me."

Harry laid back in his bed in shock. _Three days!_ He though to himself shock. I've got to have received some damage from being out in the cold that long. I'm seeing things. Harry thought as he saw the door to the infirmary open, and then close again by itself, but no one came in or out.

~*~

The girl looked around both sides of the corridor. No one was around. She threw off her invisibility cloak, folded it and stuffed it in her pocket.

_Wednesday evening, eh. Well Mr. Potter, your going to be in for a little surprise. _She smiled to herself, as she headed down to her uncles office.

~*~

**Later that night, Filches office:**

Marietta, her Uncle Filch, and her Friends Danielle Forester and Pansy Parkinson were gathered in the room as Marietta repeated her plan to them.

"So we must all be ready. Pansy, you'll give the first signal, red, and Danielle as soon as you and Uncle Filch are in position, you give the second signal, green. Uncle Filch, when you go to night, don't forget to tell him to have four of his best men ready, and let him know I'll be arriving Tomorrow night. Any questions?" She asked.

Pansy raised her hand, and spoke.

"Are… are we really going to do this? Ki… kill Potter? What about the Ministry officials guarding him? They will not likely let harm come to him if they can help it, even if he is accused of murder." I mean… we could get caught. We could go to Azkaban for the rest of our…"

"You need not worry about that. You three are not going to have anything to do with it other than give the signals, when you do you and Danielle will return to your respective dorm Rooms, and Uncle Filch will go back and do some work in his office. From that point, you three have nothing to do with what happens next." Marietta assured them.

Danielle was next to raise her hand next.

"Yes?" Marietta asked.

"What will you be doing during all this?" she asked her friend. Marietta smiled.

"My responsibility requires me to take a more _hands on_ approach. I'm going to be making sure thing go accordingly from the air. So I'll be out of class on Wednesday, making sure that Potter will be out of our hair for good. You don't need to know the details, just everyone be ready when the time comes." Marietta said. She turned to Filch and handed him a rolled piece of parchment.

"Uncle, it is vital that you take this message to Professor Watson tonight, this is a very important task. Please convey to him the plan to the Professor making him understand that the time has finally arrived to take care of our final major obstacle in the way of a pureblood reformation. Filch took the parchment with a shaky hand.

"Is it… is it really necessary to kill the boy?" Filch asked. Marietta looked at him with a frown.

"You _**said**_… that you would do anything for the society and that advancement of our race. You took the oath, have you forgotten already?" Marietta asked. Filch stood up strait, and lifted his head up high.

"I haven't forgotten. Very well, if it's necessary, than this is the end of Harry Potter, and the beginning of a new age. I'll not fail in my mission." Filch said proudly. Marietta smiled.

"Good, now go, and here, have a bottle on me while you're in Hogsmead." Marietta said putting some galleons in her uncle's hand. "For after you talk to the professor. It'll calm your nerves." Filch nodded, and left out the door to go to Hogsmead. She turned to her two friends, with a smile. The two of you better get to bed. There's nothing more for tonight. Just don't discuss this with anyone else, even if they are in the society. Padma and Danielle nodded, and said their goodbyes. Marietta locked the door behind them.

She then walked to the adjacent door to her Uncles office, where her lover awaited her in the form of a naked Semis Finnegan. The fireplace was aglow with burning logs, and a bottle of wine and some champagne glasses sat ready for her. She noticed that his fingers were bandaged. He smiled at her and held up the bottle.

"To celebrate our victory, on Wednesday." He said. Marietta looked at him, as she sat down.

"A little early to celebrate." She said guarded.

"Oh, you don't have confidence in the plan? It was your idea." He said.

"I do have confidence in the plan, but I'm cautious. I have to be. This is as you said my plan. If it succeeds I'm elevated to a high status in the society. If it fails… well, it won't fail, but I'm going to save the victory celebration until after he's passed." She replied. Her lover poured the two glasses and each took one.

"Well than… to us." He said. They clinked their glasses together.

"To us." Marietta said back. She then took another look at the bandaged fingers of her lover. "You going to tell me about you fingers?" she asked." He healed them in front of his face, turning his hand in amusement.

"Semis is going mad. All this time with no human contact has driven him to it. He's trying to claw his way out of the room by attempting to dig himself out with his fingernails." Hs said. Marietta's' eyebrow lifted up.

"But that's a brick room from floor to ceiling!" she said surprised. He lover smiled.

"Did I mention he was mad? I don't think he's going to last much longer. You may have to get me another body soon. Guess I'll have to find another pureblood that we can throw down in that dungeon, so that I can imitate him for your sexual pleasure." He said joking. Marietta laid against him, taking his arm and wrapping it around him.

"I guess you will." She said, not joking.


	68. Chapter 68

**Gameguy20100: Sorry to hear that you're not enjoying the story. Actually Harry is for the most part over his attitude that he was displaying. But I mean... it's a drama. But now there will be a bit more action. Well after this chapter that is. CapoExecutor: If I played Dumbledore use those this would be a really short story. As it is, the staff did try to use a type of magic to try and see what happened, but Marietta covered it up. Purebloods in the society were going to have half bloods as a subservient race to live off of. Think the classes of the Victorian Era and you'll get an idea. INACTIVE2011: Not exactly, but there will be a force to oppose Marietta and her thugs. Mstrydude: Sorry for the delay. Hope you like this. kinjakan: Sorry to disappoint you, you read all this way hating the story? I couldn't finish the first twilight book. Well you sure have patience. I don't think you'll find anything new here. I know i have no talent, but i have no money for a writing course. : Yeah, I'm sorry she has been doing very well in her scheames, I'm working on something to fix that, but it may be a few chapters. Sorry. I really want to start going after her, but i need a little time. It's got to be some way to fight her i can believe myself. She's not ment to be the main character, but she will play heavy in the next few chapter, and then I will switch to Harry and Cho a lot more. SixPathSage: Harry being kind of a dick ends very soon, but he's still going to look the villen to some, if he even survives. Gotta keep him and Cho as the underdogs for a bit either way. Um, been away for a bit I guess. Back, but I haven't written in years, and not read much in the way of storylines either. Well, last chapter I accidently kept refering to Mr. Walsh as Mr. Smith. Ignore that. Um, this is crap, but my writing has devolved. I'll try to make the next chapter better. Sorry. **

**_Chapter 68: The First Signal _**

Marietta concentrated on manipulating the controls on the black box, moving the light on the helicopter. She had been practicing all day, and was getting good at it by now. However, she was getting even more irritated at the thought of climbing on board the cursed muggle machine. The engines that propelled it were off, and the pilot was using the battery power to help her get the hang of the items she would have to use while in flight. Potter would be moved from the Castle tonight, and Professor had assembled the four best Wizards in the Society to be rid of him. Each Wizard supposedly an excellent flyer. Marietta had wanted to join in the final end to her enemy, but Professor Watson had no faith in her ability on a broom for such an important mission.

He offered her the honour of bringing back the conformation of Potters death, and the services of his private helicopter and pilot. A grand honour he thought, and he assured her that the vehicle was an exception to the rule of Muggle uselessness. High Performance, the Professor had said. Marietta had protested, and claimed that she was competent on a broom, but Professor Watson had stood fast on the subject. Marietta had also since learned that the pilot was a squib, which explained how the Professor had come across someone who could use a muggle device. High Performance, the professor had said. She looked at the control panel and sticks of the vehicle. "Hump! We shall see. In addition to the Searchlight, the pilot, (she didn't bother to learn his name) she had learned about other equip she would need to use on the nights mission. She had to wear a leather belt with a closed hook on it that fastened to a lengthy leather strap, connected to a loop on the floor,called a monkey strap, that would allow her to lean out of the side of the helicopters door for whatever reason she might need to. In case she had to _get sick _from the flight the pilot had said. She took offence to the statement. A witch get sick from a muggle craft. _Indeed! _She thought. Surely it was nothing compared to even mild broom flight. The pilot was now instructing her in the use of the earphones and mic that she had sitting in her lap. A ridiculous looking device she thought as she listened to his instructions. Marietta looked at the pilot and pointed to her headphones.

"Why do I have to wear this buffoonish hat, she asked. The pilot pointed up to the rotor blades.  
"These blades will be spinning at well over five hundred RPM's, and were fitted with the latest turbine engine. We'll be flying over a hundred miles per hour." he said. Marietta stared at him blankly. "Huh?" she said. THe pilot rolled his eyes. "It gets loud. Key in your mic." he continued. Marietta continued to have a blank expression. "Huh?" The pilot grabbed her headphones and set them on her head. He then plugged the long coiling wire into the control pannel, and grabbed Marietta's hand placing it on a very small box on the wire. He then placed her thumb on a switch on the box and clicked it, motioning for her to say something.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked. The pilot nodded that he could hear her, made her click the switch back with her other hand, and then depressed a button on the stick of the helicopter with his other hand. "Alright, I can hear you, when you need to talk, click that switch to speek. Always say over when you are finished, and don't forget to switch it back to the other position when you are finished talking... or you can't hear me. The pilot looked at his watch. "We have a bit of time before he's scheduled to leave, time to have a cuppa before we leave. With that the pilot stepped down from his machine and began to walk toward the societies tent. Marietta also tried to step down, but was pulled back from the monkey strap which she forgot to detach. No one saw her flop back on the seat, but she felt embarrassed all the same. She unhooked the device and began to walk toward the tent as well.

She paused halfway down the path, and looked back at the helicopter, hoping that Potter would be attacked deep enough above the forbidden forest so that as few people as possible would see her riding in a muggle craft.

Harry walked out of the lavatory door and held his hands up for Mr. Primfold to reattach the enchanted irons that kept him bonded from casting spells, or curses. It was wednesday afternoon and soon he would be on his way a cell in the Ministry of Magic. Arrested for a crime he wasn't even sure if he committed. But Harry was ready. He was resolved to go, hoping to at least have a chance to prove his innocence at trial. But how? How would he even prove his case? With Dumbledore acting so odd Harry was sure that he was under the imperius curse. He had not been allowed to see him or anyone since his return to the castle. But even if he was, he was sure professor Mc Gongall would have the order members show at his trial, though he did have some guilt about them having to reveal themselves. As he walked down the short distance from the lavatory to his room a group of students walked towards him, pausing and moving to one side as he passed. Everyone was looking at him. Harry Potter in irons. He wanted to hide his face in shame. He could hear them whispering about him as he walked by, feeling like a condemned man of old on his way to the gallows. It was hard to think positive. All was lament.  
Harry had had no word on what had happened to Hermione or Ron, and it was eating away at him. It was all his fault that they were in trouble, and he was sure they would be expelled or worse.

Back in his containment room Mr. Walsh had been sitting in a chair on guard. Harry was to have no privacy, he had lost that trust when he had been discovered outside the school. Mr. Primfold looked at the clock on the wall. It read six thirty seven.  
"Just another hour or so Mr. Potter. You'll be taken to the Ministry then." he said trying to relieve the boredom of the silence. Harry looked up at him.  
"How will we be traveling, by portkey?" he asked. "Oh no, Mr. Potter. We're going by broom. A straight shot all the way to London. Course you'll be under certian limitations." Walsh answered casually.  
"What kind of limitations?" Harry asked.  
"Well you'll be on a broom that is enchanted to be controlled by Mr. Walsh and myself. You'll still be in irons, but you'll be able to hold on to the broom all the same. Just sit back and you don't even have to steer." he finished.  
"Will I be allowed to ride on my firebolt at least?" Harry asked. Mr. Primfold shook his head.  
"Nope, the school is providing a comet 260. It's fast enough for you. I don't reckon you're in such a rush to get to..." he started but was distracted by the repaired door opening to the room. Professor Severus Snape slowly walked into the room a bundle of something in his arms. Mr. Primfold arose from his seat. "Can I help you Professor?" he asked politely. Snape looked over Harry with an unreadable expression on his face. Harry scowled at him. Then Snape turned to Mr. Primfold.  
"Mr. Potter is to be given these for his journey." Snape said handing Mr. Primfold a heavy coat and some hand warmers. "It's going to be a cold Scottish night 't want Mr. Potter to freeze to death before he can be sent off to Azkaban would we? Snape looked at Harry with a disaproving I would like to see him freeze on the way after what he's done. Couldn't think of a more fitting way for him to go." Snape continued. Mr. Primfold lifted an eyebrow in surprise.  
"Really now Professor Snape, he hasn't been found guilty yet." Snape gave a weak hump.  
"Clearly you don't know him as well as I. I've had to be his teacher for several years now. He's a menace. It was Professor Mc Gonagal who insisted i get him something warm for the journey. Being that I owed her a favor I was obliged to provide, and she insisted on the best quality wear. Too good for Potter really." Harry was tempted to reject the offer of the items but remembered his freezing journey to London and back and could not bring himself to tell Snape that he wasn't interested in anything from him." Mr. Primfold looked over the clothes carefully, feeling in the hand warmers to make sure nothing was stuffed into them, then running his hands through the pockets of the oversized coat, and flattening it out on the bed, feeling for anything that could have been sewn into the cloth like a wand, that might have been smuggled. He noticed something odd about it.  
"It seems a bit big for Mr. Potter." he said. Snape nodded his agreement, and gently took it back from Mr. Primfold for a look.  
"Yes, your right. And a bit too good for him as well." Snape folded the collar to show a piece of paper on the inside. "Note the maker. "Phoenix Order's unlimited." Snape said bitterly. "One of the finest clothing companies in Ald." Snape said. Mr. Primfold looked at the small paper attached to the caller. It read as much, and was labeled and double extra large. He nodded.  
"Right Mr. Potter, put your jacket on." Mr. Primfold said. Professor Snape then pulled the coat open. And look at the interior lining, good quality don't you think Mr. Primfold?" Mr. Primfold nodded and ran his hand along the interior.  
"Yes i suppose it is." Mr. Primfold said. Snape continued to show the niceties of the oversized coat.  
"And admire the seams, very well sewn, you can just barely make them out. Almost as if... they were invisible." Snape said slowly and constantly glancing over to Harry. Mr. Primfold eyed the stitching and nodded.  
"So it does. Hand it to Mr. Potter." Snape seemed a bit irritated with Mr. Primfold. He stood his ground.  
"Have you ever been there Mr. Primfold?" Snape asked Mr. Primfold looked a bit bewildered.  
"Where?" he asked.  
"To Ald. Where this fine clothing was made." Snape responded.  
"Can't say I have. Look, I'm really not very interested in the coat. No offence. Can you just give it to Mr. Potter. We have to go soon." Snape gave a slight smirk, but did not move..  
"Well, you wouldn't have liked it anyway. It's a.. Grimm... Place. Ald that is.:" Snape continued. "They just make good clothing." Snape continued. He then pulled one of the sleeves up to his eye and then held it toward Harry. "Oh look Mr. Potter, one of the cufflinks is missing. You'd better make sure that you hold on to the other one." Snape said eyeing Harry. Harry nodded his understanding. Snape handed Harry the coat and started to walk out the room. But halfway to the door he spun on his heels, and looked at harry. Oh, and by the way. If you find ice developing on your hand warmers you might want to slap your hands together, but... be sure if you do to close your eyes, you don't want to get ice crystals in your eyes. Could do some damage." Snape finished. Mr. Primfold began to get suspicious. He looked the hand warmers over again, but could see nothing out of the ordinary other than they were a bit worn in the palms. Nothing out of the ordinary, apart from two metal studs on the palms, So he relented and handed them to Harry.  
"Right Mr. Potter, get ready. we'll be off soon." Mr. Primfold said. Harry nodded, going over what Snape had said to him, trying to remember his words exactly. What was he at exactly.  
Later Harry was dressed in the oversized coat and warmers and being lead out of the room by Mr. Walsh and Mr. Primfold towards the roof. As he walked down an adjoining corridor he saw out of the corner of his eyes, Pansy Parkinson standing by an open window. She gave him a mischievous grin as he passed and waited until their backs were to her, Harry glanced back she turned to the open window and cast a spell. A red charge of energy emanated silently from her wand, but he could not see what it was cast upon outside.

Marietta sat at the Professor's desk having tea with him and the pilot, waiting on news from the castle. The closer the time for the moving of Potter to the Ministry, the more on nerve she felt herself becoming. Marietta jumped nervously and spilled her cuppa tea on the floor as one of the Society Wizards ran in screaming.  
"The signal it's been given!"He shouted, pointing towards the opening. The three were on their feet and running outside. When they exited the flap of the tent that lead outside they lifted their heads toward the night sky in the direction of the castle. A red spark burst in the air like a firework, but the explosion stayed in mid burst giving the sky an redish pink glow. The three stood for just a second, taking in the beautiful yet eerie sight of it. THe professor then waved his hand to the four Wizards standing in front of the helicopter.  
"Go! Go now!" He shouted. They took off instantly to finish off their mortal enemy. Marietta looked at the helicopter. Too late to bicker about it anymore. _Lets see what these muggles can do,_she thought to herself with low expectations. "Let's go!"she shouted to the pilot and they began a run towards the helicopter. They had been ordered to wait for the second signal to take off, but at least she could stand over Potters bodie, or at least... fly over it.


	69. Chapter 69

**Uggh, I'm so worried this is going to drag on too long. might want to take a break halfway though. Sigh. lament. **

**Chapter 69: Bell Jet Ranger III**

**Harry's POV:**

Harry stepped onto the roof of Hogwarts observatory, flanked by Mr. Walsh and Mr. Primrose. Three brooms lined the wall side by side ready for their departure. Harry looked at the sky, a red glow filled the immediate area and Harry could make out the endings of burning embers that might have been fireworks. But these red dots seemed to fade very slowly, giving off an haunting effect. Harry glanced over to his right to see Filch and Danielle Forrester standing with malevolent smiles on their faces, and Harry wondered if there was something that they knew that he did not. "_Why are they here, what business do they have in this place, at this time?", _Harry wondered.

Mr. Walsh studied the glowing red sky for a moment and turned to Filch with a quizzical look and pointed to the sky.

"What's all that about Mr. Filch?" he asked. Filch pointed at Harry.

"I highly suspect that it's some student's celebrating getting rid of that murderer." he responded. Mr. Walsh asked. Mr. Walsh gave Filch an irritated look.

"Mr. Potter hasn't been convicted yet Mr. Filch." Filch stared back at him.

"We all heard what you saw in the storage room, and... what you found. We have all heard about the evidence that will convict him." Filch said in a serious tone. Mr. Walsh seemed to cringe at the memory. His eyes grew solum.

"Yes, well... all the trial will determine the official cause of the goings on in that room." Walsh looked over beside Filch at Danielle Forrester. "What's this girl doing here?" He asked curious. Filch glanced back at Danielle. Says she has some astrology homework to do from her Divination class. Thought it couldn't hurt her being up here now that _he's _going away." Filch finished. Mr. Walsh nodded his head.

"Yes, I suppose not." Walsh stated. He turned to Mr. Primfold. "Mr. Primfold, bring Mr. Potter forward. Mr. Primfold lead Harry still in chains to the center broom. There Harry noticed a metal ring fitted into the forward center of the broom handle. Mr. Primfold guided Harry to the broom and moved his chained hands to the ring, securing the midsection to it with a lock. Harry looked up one more time at the sky, the red glow had just now vanished, but he still had a bad feeling and wondered if the chill he felt was that of the cold wind blowing, or... something else. Harry straddled his broom, at the cue from Mr. Walsh, as he and Mr. Primfold did the same. Filch gave a last menacing sneer and walked down the steps of the observatory out of sight. Harry glanced back one more time. Danielle Forester, whom he knew vaguely to be a friend of Marietta Edgemcombe was giving him a sinister look that gave him a shiver. She wasn't doing any homework. Why was she out here? Harry turned to Mr. Walsh.

"Sir, I've got a bad feeling about tonight. Maybe we shouldn't go just now. I... I think someone's out there waiting for us. Can we wait until we have more people to escort me?" Harry said in all sincerity. Mr. Walsh scoffed.

"I should say not Mr. Potter, if you are worried about You-Know-Who, i can assure you that, if he is back, he's nowhere in the country, nor in the entire British Isles. As far as any death eaters, well no one outside the Castle knows you're leaving _now_, so no one is there to be expecting you. Now, let us leave, Your broom will keep constant pace with mine. You cannot deviate from my course. I bewitched your broom myself Potter. So no tricks to try and escape." Mr. Walsh finished. Harry nodded, and peered out toward the forest. _You don't have to worry about any trouble from me. _he thought to himself. Mr. Walsh and Mr. Primfolds brooms began a slow, but steadily increasing rise and advance toward the forbidden forest, which they would have to pass over on their way to London. Harry's broom followed suit. He tried to move his arms closer to the center of the broom to make it more comfortable, but the metal ring held his chains fast. He had never felt so helpless. When they were a just few yards away Harry heard a pop and a wheezing sound behind him. He glanced back to see a thick spark shoot out from the astronomy tower and high into the air, erupting in a massive firework explosion far overhead that seemed to pause in mid burst and gave off a glow that turned the sky green. Mr. Primfold looked over to Mr. Walsh with a nervous expression.

"Maybe he's right Walsh, perhaps something is amiss. Should we turn back?" he asked. Mr. Walsh looked at the sky in contemplation for a moment.

"Too late now, we're expected in London by morning." Mr. Walsh then took out his wand from his pocket, holding it tight in hand. "But be ready for anything, it's a long way to go until then." Mr. Primfold pulled out his wand as well and looked around. Harry stared uselessly at his chains, his broom traveling at about fifty miles an hour, guided by Mr. Walsh's enchantment. He then looked around searching for some unseen foe. _Where are you?_He thought to himself, even though he wasn't sure who the _you _was, he knew someone was out there... waiting for him.

**Same Span of time **

**Marietta's POV:**

Marietta climbed aboard the helicopter, pulling herself in on the right side and hooking her belt on the monkey strap. She put the earphones over her head and brought the mic closer to her mouth. The pilot pulled himself in the chopper as well, and started working with the metal stick on his left side, pushing a button on the front and turning his hand from left to right. The Pilot then began pushing buttons and switches on the top of the cabin. The gauges on the instrument panel lit up with a green glow that radiated throughout the cabin. Suddenly Marietta heard a high pitched whining sound, and the blades of the chopper began to slowly turn. Marietta was just about to complain about how inferior and overly complicated the cursed machine was when the spinning increased to rapid pace and the machine seemed to violently vibrate. Marietta found herself grabbing the sides of the seat. The blades were now in full motion, extremely loud and Marietta was feeling slightly dizzy.

"Test your mic." the pilot said. Marietta depressed the button on the cord leading from her head phones. Y... yes, can you hear me?" she asked nervously. The pilot responded in the affirmative. Marietta looked toward the castle and suddenly a bright green firework filled the sky. She smiled to herself. _Not long now. _"Go go go!" She shouted into her mike at the pilot. "Lets see what this pathetic muggle machine can do. Not much I think, but go on anyway." she said indignantly. The pilot gave shot her an angry look, but then started to smile.

"Heh, heh, heh, you asked for it!" he said. He pulled back on the collective and the helicopter began to slowly rise. Marietta was irritated at the time it was taking to get going. The pilot prepared to put the chopper into a powered take off by pushing the cylic pitch forward and giving gas to the collective. "Hurry up and move this piece of... Shhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiitttttt tt!" Marietta screamed as the Bell Jet Ranger III accelerated forward at ever increasing speed. The chopper soon was heading full throttle straight toward some trees marking the edge of the forbidden forest. She didn't know how fast they were going, but it felt faster than she had ever traveled in her life, and she had no control, as the trees came ever closer. Marietta was sure they would run right into them. "WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"she shouted terrified. The pilot merely gave a slight chuckle and pulled back hard in the stick in front of him, causing the helicopter to climb at almost a ninety degree angle and Marietta to be pushed back in her seat by the increased force of the climb. She wanted to be sick, but was too terrified, and her fingernails were digging into the sides of the seat. Soon, before she could even contemplate they were about a thousand feet up, and climbing. She had been high on her broom before, but not this high, and she had no control over any of this. Everything below was small, and she was feeling a slight sense of vertigo. She turned to the pilot. "Bring us down." she yelped. The pilot nodded, and jerked the cyclic to the right, kicking hard on one of the petals, and dropping the helicopter turning sideways for just a brief moment before putting it in an angled dive toward the trees. Mariette was terrified beyond movement. She looked down at the trees quickly rushing up toward her. _This is it. _She thought. _All my plans finished. This is how it ends for me. I was so close._She lamented. Suddenly the pilot pulled back on the controls and the chopper quickly righted itself at the last few helicopter turned on a heading South of the Hogwarts school. It took a few moments for Marietta to recover, but when the pilot saw that she was no longer as scared as she had been.

"What was that about pathetic muggle machine?" he asked. Marietta looked at him, and gulped.

"S... sorry about that." she said, horrified that he would start flying so erratically again. The pilot nodded.

"Just watch your mouth. The Professor pays me well to fly the chopper, not to take lip from some smart mouthed school girl. Keep it up and you might find yourself walking home from two thousand feet." he threatened. Marietta looked down at the tops of the trees rushing fast bellow her, and nodded her understanding. They were on course toward London, somewhere along the way, the society wizards would kill Potter, and she would arrive later to confirm the kill, and report back to Professor Watson. Only to confirm the kill. She would not have the honour of doing it herself. _Unfair,_she thought bitterly, but there was nothing she could do, but sit back in this terrifying, yet impressive muggle machine she begrudgingly thought to herself, though would never admit to it. _Terrifying and thrilling. But now on to business. _

**Harry's POV: **

Harry and Mr. Primrose had both been moving their heads about as if on swivel, looking for any sign of danger. Fifteen minutes into their journey there had been no sign of anything odd since the green firework, but he reckoned they both knew that danger was imminent. Primrose still had his wand tightly in one hand but Mr. Walsh seeming to think danger had passed, had put his away when the castle was out of sight. Harry looked at his gloves, wanting to rub them together in the cold air, but seeing the studs remembered better of it. What does Snape intend? Was this a trick, or all he could do to help under the circumstances? Harry reflected on their utter hatred for each other over the past few years. Since day one. _He hated my father, he hates me because I look like him. Snape was a death eater, than an order member, but is he still a death eater? Why is he helping me, or is he?_The lament at not knowing gave Harry a slight headache. And what will become of me when I get to the Ministry of Magic? I dread going, but at least hopefully the cell will be warm, he thought shivering a bit despite his heavy coat. He glanced behind him at the large full moon. At least it's light enough out tonight he thought briefly admiring the huge glowing object, before noticing that there were four silhouettes of people on brooms in front of it heading towards He and his fellow travellers. They appeared to be in formation. Harry did not turn his eyes off of them until they got close enough for him to see that they each had one hand up as if it had a wand at the ready. Without looking back Harry screamed at the two Ministry officials to look back. The men looked to the sky at the four figures closing in on them fast. Mr. Walsh glanced over at Mr. Primfold a dead serious look in his eyes. Climb Mr. Primfold Climb. He shouted. All three brooms rose sharply as several green beams of light shot under them, just missing their targets. _Death eaters? _Harry wondered, he could barely make out their faces at this point, but was sure they were not wearing mask. The pursuers began to climb as well, shooting more burst from their wands, one of them barely missing Harry's head. He tried to maneuver his broom by pulling on it, but it was no use. He was under Mr. Walsh's control. Mr. Walsh and Mr. Primrose were by this time fireing spells back at the enemy, causing them to break up their formation. The two Ministry officials put their brooms into several sharp turns to escape the attackers, but the enemy kept after them matching them for every maneuver. Harry's broom was matching the turn of Mr. Walsh's broom turn for turn. Mr. Walsh was not a bad flyer, but Harry knew he could do better. He turned to the Ministry official.

"Please Mr. Walsh, let me control my own broom." Harry pleaded. Mr. Walsh shook his head in refusal.

"Not necessary Mr. Potter, I've got this under control." He quickly replied. Mr. Walsh, then put his broom into another sharp right turn avoiding several green blast that passed through the air space that the two had been milliseconds before. Walsh glanced back behind them and thrust his arm back shouting a curse and just missing one of the attackers. Several turns later and several blast exchanged by both sides found Harry gritting his teeth, and squeezing his broom with nervous anticipation. Just a wand or a free hand with his broom was all he needed. He looked around, also noticing that all the evasive maneuvering they were doing was not getting them any closer to London and help. But who had time to send a message when all your thought had to be on avoiding massive amounts of blast from several sinister forms on brooms. On and on they flew in large circles avoiding and returning blast towards their foes. It must have been only ten minutes since they had first seen the unknown enemy, but it felt like an eternity, and the stress was exhausting them. Mr. Primfold pulled up next to Harry and looked across to Mr. Walsh. "Walsh, we can't keep this up. We need help, he said exhausted." Mr. Walsh needed in agreement, and held up his wand starting to speak the request and send to the Ministry via his patronus. Harry wondered what his patronus would be... he would never find out.

A blast hit Mr. Walsh from behind, his head flew back and his eyes rolled back in his head. He then slumped over sideways off the broom, and fell several hundred feet out of sight into the thick forest floor below the tree tops. Harry and Mr. Primfold glanced at each other, terrified. But there was no time to be terrified for long.

Mr. Primfold, put his wand to the lock on

Harry's broom, and cast a spell to remove it. He looked as if he were about to unlock the chains too, but then a green blast shot between the two. They sped up and Mr. Primfold cut his broom hard left. Harry's did not follow. It's caster dead the spell keeping his broom to the course of Mr. Walsh's had been broken. Harry clutched his broom, and sped up banking low and right to avoid the blast of the attacker. Suddenly Harry saw a meadow below where the trees were sparse all around. He pushed his broom to the limit, followed by the pursuers. Harry was soon only a few feet off the ground, speeding through the forest and began weaving in, out and around the trees, glancing back inadvertently to see if he had shaken off his attackers. He hadn't. They were still closing in, but their wands were now put away as they had to concentrate on maneuvering through the trees that were getting thicker. Harry continued to make extremely sharp turns, left and right avoiding more trees. He glanced back on more time at the Wizards coming after him fast. It was almost a fatal mistake, as when he turned back around he was heading towards the side of a small bridge over a shallow creek, fast. Harry didn't have time to think, he pushed his broom down, and flew under the bridge, ducking, and turning his head only after he had cleared it. One of the pursuers had pulled away to avoid it, the other had followed him under, seeming to match his moves almost exactly. Harry slowed his broom, the forest was getting too thick in this direction to keep going, but there were three Wizards now circling above him. He exhaled, mustered his courage, and turned his broom around heading toward the wizard that had pursued him under the bridge, at full speed. The Wizard pushed forward pulling his wand and pointing it toward Harry, but too late, With bound hands Harry snatched the wand from the man as he passed as if grasping a snitch at a match, and continued past the wizard in the direction from which they had come. The wizard turned to pursue him, and retrieve it, without fear it seemed of chasing Harry unarmed, but still almost exactly matching his flight. Harry kept up speed and headed toward the bridge he set himself up to run into it. He intentionally slowed his broom to let the other wizard catch up a bit, letting him almost within grasping distance of his broom. Harry's head swiveled too and fourth from the bridge to the wizard, keeping up a speed just high enough to keep the peruser off of him. The bridge was milliseconds away, and Harry let the man catch up to him. The man pulled his broom to the side and grasped at his wand, when his attention was fully on Harry, and they were seconds away from the bridge Harry spun upside down in his broom, and calculatingly shot under the bridge, hearing a scream cut short by a loud thud from behind.

He then climbed up to the open sky about two hundred feet above the forest to orientate himself to his situation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure aproaching him on a broom wand at the ready. Harry pointed his own captured wand toward the figure, ready to lay a curse for defence, but as the figure approached him the two recognised each other, and put their wands down to their side. Mr. Primfold, looking more the worse for wear, stopped his broom beside Harry.

"You ok, Mr. Potter?" He asked exhausted. Harry nodded.

"I got this wand from one of them, that i took care of. Where are the others?" Harry asked. Mr. Primfold looked around nervously.

"I blasted one with a blinding curse, he went down in the trees. Lost sight of the others." he said. Harry glanced all about him for a second, and then back to Mr. Primfold.

"Did you send for help?" Harry asked hurriedly. Mr. Primfold nodded.

"Just now. But it will take a little time for my patronus to get to London. I think... " Mr. Primfold started, but was cut off by harry knocking his head away from him, as a blast from a wand just missed him.

"We have to move Harry said already speeding to avoid more blast, as did Mr. Primfold. The two of them split up and each was pursued by one of the enemy. Harry spun his broom in wide circles avoiding the several blast of the Wizard firing behind him. He then began a series of wide left and right turns to try and lose the adversary. Harry was exhausted from the experience, but by now was even more agitated. He stopped the broom, and turned to face it toward the enemy, then moved toward him at top speed nearly a hundred miles per hour, lifting his wand with both chained hands, trying to control the direction of the broom by jerking his knees left and right. The Wizard sped up as well, and they sped toward each other on a collision course. The Wizard fired out, a curse that harry ducked at the last second. Harry then pointed his wand at the man's torso.

"Distructo!" The Wizard pulled up to avoid the blast, but his broom took the full force of the curse shattering into a thousand splinters sending the man falling out of sight into the thick forest. Harry could hear limbs of trees snapping, and grunts below. Harry brought his broom to a hover. He was by now profusely sweating, and gasping from exhaustion. He looked around for Mr. Primrose. After a few minutes, he saw him circling below glancing around. Harry descended towards him shouting at him not to shoot him, lest he think him an enemy. He brought his broom next to Mr. Primrose in a hover. He was also, sweating, and looked as if about to collapse from exhaustion."That's another one down for me. Harry said. What happened to your guy?" he asked.

"Knocked off his broom, down into the forest. I think that was the last of them." he said. "We should start back to London now, we would be likely to meet any help they sent halfway there." Harry Glanced in the direction of Hogwarts, and then back to the direction of the Castle. "It's too far, we could go back to Hogwarts, and wait for help there." he said. Mr. Primfold looked back towards the direction of the wizarding school, seeming undecided.

"Well I.. " he paused mid sentence. "... what... what's that?" he asked as his eyes widened. Harry, glanced back and saw a grey figure, was rapidly approaching them. _Not again!_Harry thought. He turned toward the oncoming figure, and both he and Mr. Primfold readied their wands for another wizard on a broom. But as the figure quickly grew closer they both realised it was a helicopter moving towards them. When it was a couple of hundred yards away a light under the nose flashed on, and focused it's beam on the two. They had to close their eyes with their hands in front of their face to avoid the glare. I was as if a midnight sun had suddenly appeared in the sky accompanied by a loud buzzing noise that grew in volume. Harry and Mr. Primfold started to speed up and put their brooms in a sharp left turn to avoid the machine, but it banked sharply as well to match them. They both sped up faster, as fast as the broom would go, feeling the freezing wind like ice against their faces. They must be traveling at at least a hundred miles an hour. Harry turned his body to fire a curse at the helicopter, but the searchlight was so bright that it pained him to even try to glance at it, and kept him from seeing exactly where he needed to fire. Mr. Primfold was flying next to him with seemingly the same problem. Soon, the helicopter was right behind them, and the sound of the spinning blades drowned out the rest of the audible world. But now it was close enough for him to fire a blast at. Harry began to turn, but was stopped by a massive stabbing pain in his back as the skid of the helicopter slammed into him from behind.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"Harry cried in pain, he and Mr. Prim fold dived down sharply, and the helicopter matched them again. A few maneuvers later Mr. Primfold was on Harries right, looking about to collapse from fatigue, and Harry felt that he himself was exhausted to his limits as well. A few attempts had been made to bring the vehicle down, but with the merciless light shining on them, their aim had been well off. He looked back again, each time they wanted to fire, they were blinded by the light. Their reflexes were slowing by now, they were cold, and tired, and run ragged from the ordeal, and again, all the turns and dives meant that they were no closer to help. Suddenly a booming feminine voice emitted from the direction of the helicopter. **"****Attention, stop this pointless attempt to escape. If you surrender, we will not harm you. Give up. If not you will be destroyed."**The voice was very familiar, if filtered. Harry strained to see figures in the cockpit, but the blinding light kept him from a good look. Harry looked at Mr. Primfold as they continued to dodge in sharp turns, as the helicopter was much faster than they were, they could not outrun it. However even turning would not keep it off them. The turns of the helicopter were a bit wider than their brooms, but not by much, and the two couldn't keep this up for much longer. Sharp climbing and diving arks would not shake it off. Mr. Primfold and Harry split up after a time, but kept in support of each other. The person flying the chopper seemed to concentrate on harry, but would have to divert some attention to not being blasted by Mr. Primfold's wand. Still, that didn't seem to be much of a struggle considering how maneuverable it was. Nimble as a hummingbird, fierce as a dragon, Mr. Primfold reflected.

A moment later the two flyers were side by side again, pursued relentlessly by the helicopter. Both gasping for breath and dizzy from the extra g's of gravity that had been pushing on them from all the acrobatic flying. Mr. Primfold looked over at Harry, sweat pouring down his head dispite the freezing weather.

"Potter, I've got an idea!" He shouted. As it follows you, I'm going to fall back beside it, and give it a blast from a few feet away!"Mr. Primfold shouted. Harry nodded, just as a green blast shot past him. He glanced back, someone was now hanging out of the helicopter, blasting at him with a wand. _Who are these people? _Harry wondered, to use both muggle and wizard world technology against him, and _why are they so anxious to kill me? _The helicopter was almost on top of Harry again. He glanced back to see Mr. Primfold slowing down to get beside the helicopter. Mr. Primfold raised his wand, but in an instant the helicopter shot sideways slaming into the man with the fuelsalage causing him and his broom to gointo a spin towards the tree tops. Amazingly Mr. Pimfold was able to slightly recover himself. bringing his broom to a stop about twenty feet above the trees. He was hanging from his broom with both hands, blood flowing from a nasty gash from his head. He struggled, in an attempt to get back on. The helicopter moved away in a wide turn distancing itself from the man by about twenty yards, and Harry thought for a second that it had been damaged in the impact. However, when it was about a hundred feet away it turned on it's axis and started for Mr. Primfold in a shallow dive, slightly lower to the treetops then he was hanging. Harry pushed his broom to try and rescue the man, or distract the helicopter until Mr. Primfold could get back on his broom. He fired a few shots from his wand, just missing the machine.

"Look out!"Harry screamed. Mr. Primfold was still struggling badly to get back on the broom when the helicopter passed him at lightning speed. Harry watched in horror as his legs and lower torso feel separately from the rest of his body into the trees, severed by the spinning blades of the main rotor. Harry slowed his broom to a hover, taking in the horror of it. He was gone for energy. Nothing left, in him. He couldn't run, not anymore. He glanced down at the studs on his gloves, and then back up at the chopper, the light searching for him. Hogwarts was too far away for help now. The ministry was too far away, it was just him alone against this terrifying machine, that was now flying towards him. He turned towards hogwarts, flying and up at an angle. He was going over a hundred miles an hour, but the helicopter was still overtaking him. He would fire a few blast behind him every so often, and blast would be shot at him from the helicopter both missing. Harry could now feel the rushing of the rotor beneath him, he looked back. It was only a yard away. the light blinding him. But just for a second, he got a look at one of the occupants. Illuminated in a green glow, Marietta Edgecombe occupied the seat. Between he and her the spinning blades of death rose up at him, feet away. Harry Clasped his hands over his head and rubbed his gloves together.

**Marietta's POV:**

Marietta was exhausted. Harry Potter had been dogging her all night, with his turning and dodging of his broom. She had at first been elated that she would be the one to kill him, after finding that the ministry officials had brought down there wizards, but they had been flying for fifteen minutes and only killed one of his protectors. _Why doesn't he just give up? Just die, you annoying pain. _She had had quite enough of Potter, and enough of this muggle machine and aeral acrobatics that turned hir stomach, and enough of worrying that he might survive. Now was the time to finish him. He was just above them. He looked back at them throught the rotorblades.

"Cut him to pieces!" Marietta shouted at the pilot, she wanted to use her wand, but could not use that and the searchlight at the same time. Suddenly she saw Harry lift his hands over his head and began rubbing them. She leaned forward. "What's he doing now?"she said retoricly. Suddenly a bright flash filled the sky blinding her and the pilot. "Ahhhhhh!" she screamed. The pilot let go of the controls caustin the helicopter to rise at a diffrent angle. Suddenly Marietta heard a thump, and crack as something hit the window in front of her, and she was sure she saw potters face pressed against it for a split second, the fall away to the side of the helocopter. The chopper then went into a dive towards the forest, looking like it was about to crash, but the pilot regained control at the last critical molment, and put it into a hover. After a molment they rocovered fully their wits, and brought the helicopter to a higher altitude. Marietta moved the small control stick on the box that controlled the searchlight to look for Harry. She could not see him in the sky. She began fixing the beam on the trees below. THe helicopter scour the area looking for him for about twenty minutes. Marietta methodically looking for any signs of life from the air or forest, with the chopper now hovering from place to place at treetop level. Marietta, finally thought she spotted something on a treetop. It looked to be blood on the leaves. "We got him. Harry Potter is dead." she smiled to herself. She turned to the pilot.

"We got him, he couldn't have survived the fall. Lets go home." she said. The pilot glanced back at her.

"Professor Watson wanted proof, the body or something." he said.

"Than he should have brought more wizards, it's too thick to land this thing down there. I saw him crash against the windshield. See the crack?" she said pointing. "I saw him die, and so did you. Or would you like to stay out here until the sky is thick with ministry officials?" she asked. The pilot nodded his understanding.

"Ok, we both saw him die." he agreed. Marietta took one last look below. Calculating the physics of it all. The impact of hitting the chopper, the height from which he fell, the weather, and tempature conditions. He must have been killed on hitting the ground, but even if he had not, he couldn't survive long in this frigid cold. Either way Harry Potter was history. she smiled to herself, as the Bell Jet Ranger made it's way back to base.


	70. Chapter 70: Time for a long break

**Chapter 70: Time for a long break. **

Harry lay as close to the base of the tree as he could. He looked up to see beams of illumination from the helicopter's searchlight poking through the trees. He could not see the helicopter itself, as the tree tops were too thick with leaves. Harry hoped it was as hard for his pursuers to see him. The constant buzzing of the rotors, and hum of the engine changed pitch, and the shadows produced by the searchlight moved about as the helicopter changed positions to look for him. For a long moment it hung above him, and he thought he had been spotted. But it eventually left, its chopping sound fading in the distance.

Pain began to set in, as the adrenaline began to stop flowing through his body. Harry was in a bad way. He had a bloody gash in his head which had smashed against the window of the helicopter, his back still hurt from where the skid had slammed into it, and he had several bruises and a broken arm from falling through the tree branches. The branches had hurt him severely, but they were the only reason he was alive as they had broken his fall. Nonetheless, he was still in sever pain, and the intensity was steadily increasing. The oversized coat was keeping him warm, but did nothing to dull the pain. Harry began to cry. it was too much. He was being driven insane by the lot of it. People wanted to kill him, he had gotten his friends in trouble, people were dying all around him, and he was being blamed. How much more could he take? Harry just lay there for what seemed a long time. He looked ahead and thought he saw movement in the shadows. Something coming towards him. A loud chirping type sound began to fill the air. He could make out a figure approaching him. Suddenly a voice called out to him, it seemed to be coming from the one cufflink of the jacket.

"Potter, Potter, what are you doing?" came the voice of Severus Snape. Harry glanced back to the approaching figure slowly moving towards him. The chirping was getting ever louder, and he could now make out a massive body.

"he... Help. Help me." Harry said weakly.

"What are you at Potter?" came the voice. Harry repeated his plea for help.

"Professor Snape. Help me please." Harry requested. The cufflink was silent. The object was not getting closer. Harry could not make out a giant spider moving closer to him. Ever closer. _Spiders suck all the fluids out of your body when they kill you. What a horrible way to die._ Harry thought to himself. But what could he do. He was not resigned to die in such a horrible way, but was too weak to move. What a bad year it's been. The worst so far.

"Professor help." harry pleaded. No answer. The spider was moving closer now, and started to move faster. Sixty yards away... fifty... forty... this was it. this was how it ended for Harry Potter. Thirty yards... twenty... he wanted to close his eyes, but he could not take them off the multi-eyed monster. **Ten! **Suddenly a cloud of black smoke filled the air in the small space between the spider and himself, and he heard a shout of "AVADA KEDAVRA!" A loud crack and a bright flash, and suddenly Professor Snape and was in front of him and the spider was on it's back, its legs coiled up indicating certain death. Professor Snape turned and walked over to him. Knelt down, and examined his arm and head.

"Are you hurt anywhere else Potter?" Snape asked emotionlessly.

"Everywhere, but mostly my lower back." Harry said. Snape nodded.

"Can you move?" Snape asked. Harry shook his head.

"No sir. I'm sorry." he replied. The pain was too much for him. Snape raised his wand to Harry's head. And spoke a chant, Harry blacked out immediately.

Harry awoke slowly. Everything was blurry. He was laying in a bed. A nightstand was nearby with his glasses on them. He put them on. He was in a small room that somehow looked familiar, but he could not place it in his mind. Snape. Walked in with some a bottle of potion in his hand. He presented it to Harry, he tried to lift his left arm, but winched from pain as it was still broken. He then took the potion with his right hand. Harry did not question what it was, if Snape wanted to kill him he could have done it in the forest. He drank heartily, and surprisingly the potion had a pleasing flavor to it. He placed the bottle on the ground next to him, and looked up at Snape.

"Professor, where are we." Harry asked.

"The shrieking shack. The only place i could think of that would not be searched. I've sent word to the Order to send a healer for your wounds. Now while we wait, you're going to tell me exactly what happened after you left Hogwarts." Snape said. He pulled a dusty old chair up to the bed and set down. Harry began to relay his story to him. The Reddish glow, the green glow and fireworks, the mysterious figures on brooms, the helicopter, and the death of the ministry officials, everything. Snape listened intently, stroking his chin, and seeming to be strategizing the situation. He stood up, walked over to the boarded up window, and peered out of a small hole in the board. Without turning back to Harry, he spoke.

"We're getting you out of here as soon as the healer can fix your wounds, and you're going to have to be a fugitive from justice for a while. It's clear that the ministry cannot protect you right now. You're going to Grimmauld Place, and you're going to have to stay there. No one can know where you are aside from a very few members of the order." Snape said emotionlessly.

Harry sat up. "What did Dumbledore say?" he asked. Snap turned to him, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Dumbledore doesn't know. He's been compromised." Snape said. Harry looked at him blankly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked. It means you do not try to contact him. Or anyone else for that matter. There are only going to be three people who will know of your location. Myself, Lupin, and Miss Tonks. The healer has agreed to have his mind wiped of the events after he takes care of you. But know one else is to know anything of you. Not your Masters, nor any other order members, and not your closest friends. Anyone who knows is in danger. Do you understand Potter?" Snape finished. Harry nodded. He lay back in bed staring up at the ceiling, lamenting his predicament, and hoping the healer would arrive soon. Snape had given him some charms for the pain, but his arm still hurt some, was only given a basic splint, and he had an unsightly gash from slamming his head against the helicopter window. _Marietta Edgencombe, when next we meet, I'll be ready for you. _But that must be some time away. He was in no condition to fight, and would be happy to recover after everything he had been through. It was time for a long break. _Just have to wait for the healer._ He could not come soon enough, harry thought. He took the opportunity to pass out. He could ask snape later, there was of late no pain in sleep for him over the last few weeks, and he was relishing the experience of unconsciousness and proper, nightmare free sleep as much as he could.

Marietta finished retelling of her experience to Professor Watson. He listened intently throughout. After she had concluded, he rubbed his eyes in anguish, not in mournful anguish, but stress.

"My best Wizards, my four most Elite, irreplaceable wizards. How depressing." he lamented. He then gave Marietta a stern look. "A body brought back would have been better." he said intently. Marietta nodded.  
"Yes, perhaps. But I didn't want to hang out and wait for a slew of Ministry officials to start showing up. Plus, I didn't have a broom, and there was no room for the helicopter to land." she said casually. The Professor nodded.

"What happens now? On your end?" he asked. Marietta sighed.

"Absolutely nothing. I have to take a break for a while. To many eyes on the school, and I have to concentrate on my schoolwork, and head girl duties. This whole thing has taken it's toll on me. I need a break from planning." I'll be ready to start again in two months..." She went on, but was cut off.

"**Two months?" **Professor Watson shouted. Marietta rolled her eyes.

"What have you got to worry about it? Dumbledore's contained, Potter is dead, and the Ministry will thank he's escaped. It's all going our way, we can afford to slack off for a time, and rest on our laurels. Just let me get some stuff done and not have to stress out about the Order."

Professor Watson nodded.

"Very well, you have done well. I must say I had my doubts, but you have really shown your up to the task. When I'm Minister of Magic you alone will be my right hand. The hand I will use to crush the half bloods and muggle-born. Something, I'm of course sure you look forward to." he finished. Marietta smiled a sinister grin.

"Of course. But for now, time for a break."

"Cho Chang sat in the hospital breakroom reading through the Daily Prophet front page article for the fourth time. Still no sign of Harry Potter. Who had disappeared two weeks earlier under mysterious circumstances, along with the two ministry officials who had been sent to bring him to the Ministry of Magic. Tears fell on the paper, smearing the ink. She wiped her eyes. She had been to the Ministry itself trying to find information about what had happened, but no one was talking. She had not received any comique from Harry, and though she had called about ten times a day on his mobile, she had never gotten a response. It was driving her mad, and the stress was noticeable to all that she worked around.

"Ever gonna tell me what's bothering you?" came the voice of Carol Kenyetta, Cho's nursing friend. Cho lowered her head.

"It's... personal." Cho whispered softly. Carol nodded.

"Yes, almost everything is with you Cho." she said. "You know, I can tell you're really stressed, and I have a solution that might help. Tomorrow, I want you to bring your gym bag and track suit with you. I have a surprise for you." she said smiling. Cho looked up at her curiously.

"What is it?" she asked. Carol smiled. It's a surprise. Just be ready after work. Gym bag and sweats, and a desire to get rid of all that stress.

"I don't know Carol, I've got to look after mum, and study some books, and..." she started.

"No, no no." Carol stopped her. I've had it with excuses. You're mum is being well looked after, and you need to get your head out of those books for a while. Promise me that you will go with me after work tomorrow. Girls night out." Carol demanded. Cho looked at her blankly.

"Girls night out... in tracksuits?" she asked. Carol's smile widened.

"Trust me." she said with a smile. "Just know it's time for a break from your sobbing, and stress. I promise you will not regret it."

"Ok." Cho said weakly.

"So, any of your mates from school coming here?" Carol asked casually.

"To hospital?" Cho asked. Carol chuckled.

"To London. Schools are letting out for Christmas holiday, surely you have some mates from here? You do remember Christmas holiday don't you?" she said.

"Oh, yes. I. I guess I just... I just... sort of lost track." Cho said.

"Well, it's just a few weeks away. Don't wait to late to buy all the things on your list. The shops are going to be full to capacity. And we're drawing names out of the box Tuesday for the Christmas office Party, don't forget." Carol finished. Cho nodded. Yes, I'll take care of it in a couple of days." Cho finished.

"And Cho. I'm serious about tomorrow. You need a break from this constant vigil at your mum's bed. You two just argue too much of the time anyway about you going back to your school. Doesn't all this stress you out at all?" Carol asked. Cho nodded.

"What do you do to relieve it?" Carol asked. Cho shrugged.

"I just sort of hold it in." she finished. Carol.

"Well, like i said. You need a break from all this. Get some rest tonite, and be ready to head out tomorrow night after work." she smiled.

_A break._ Cho thought to herself_. Aye, I need that for sure. _she had to admit to herself. The same routine had been very draining.


End file.
